Sampling and Testing of Limestone

Sampling of limestone may be done for a variety of reasons, ranging from the assessment of a deposit and the evaluation of a product, to quality control and monitoring compliance with a specification. Testing may be of the mechanical, physical, thermal, weathering, chemical, or general characteristics of the limestone. 

Because most limestone is used locally, many countries have their own standards for sampling, sample preparation and testing. This chapter refers mainly to European (CEN) and British Standards, to illustrate the principles and procedures involved. Where appropriate, the reader should adopt the requirements of the relevant national or international standards. 

A more comprehensive treatment of sampling and testing of aggregates is given in [6.1]. 

BS 5309 [6.2], describes the general principles that should be observed when designing sampling procedures. They include  

Close attention to each of these points is important, as inadequate sampling practices are a ft equent cause of invalid results and discrepancies between laboratories. The sampling procedures adopted will also depend on the required accuracy and precision of the result. 

---