partially filled with carbide lime, which it intends to use as raw material for production of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC).

The huge pit is situated in Eastern Germany near the pond the technology company signed for a twenty one year option earlier this month and is also owned by the German State Agency Mitteldeutsche Sanierungs-und Entsorgungsgesellschaft, MDSE.

The option is conditional on completion of a survey to be carried out by Kemgas to estimate more precisely the amount of available carbide lime and its suitability for the Kemgas process which turns it into PCC.

If initial estimates of lime are confirmed, the reserves would support the construction of a second 40,000 ton PCC plant after the successful start up of the first proposed plant at the industrial park at Leuna.

The two ponds will probably be able to supply the company's plants with raw material for over 25 years.

PCC can be used to produce paper, plastics, paint, window frames and certain types of rubber. It is manufactured from carbide lime, an environmentally hazardous by-product from the production of acetylene.