Calcium carbonate sorbent and methods of making and using same

A sorbent comprising:

• a calcium carbonate powder comprising powder particles having an average surface area above about 40 m.sup.2 /gram;
• said powder particles having pores of an average pore volume, and the ratio of said average surface area to said average pore volume is in the range of from about 200 to about 350 m.sup.2 /cubic centimeter.

A process of removing sulfur dioxide from a gaseous flow, said process comprising:

• exposing said gaseous flow to a sorbent, said sorbent comprising calcium carbonate powder comprising powder particles having an average surface area above about 40 m.sup.2 /gram;
• said powder particles having pores of an average pore volume, and the ratio of said average surface area to said average pore volume is in the range of from about 200 to about 350 m.sup.2 /cubic centimeter, for sufficient time and at sufficient temperature so as to bind said sulfur dioxide to said sorbent.

A process of removing at least one heavy metal from a sample, said process comprising:

• exposing said sample to a sorbent, said sorbent comprising calcium carbonate powder comprising powder particles having an average surface area above about 40 m.sup.2 /gram;
• said powder particles having pores of an average pore volume, and the ratio of said average surface area to said average pore volume is in the range of from about 200 to about 350 m.sup.2 /cubic centimeter, for sufficient time and at sufficient temperature so as to bind said at least one heavy metal to said sorbent.