Production of slaked lime

A method of producing an aqueous suspension of calcium hydroxide which comprises passing a gaseous flow incorporating particles of calcium carbonate through a calcining furnace to thermally decompose the calcium carbonate and produce a gas comprising decomposition products including carbon dioxide and having calcium oxide particles suspended therein, delivering a flow of said gas comprising said decomposition products and having said calcium oxide particles suspended in said carbon dioxide as a carrier gas, without further separation of said decomposition products, to a vessel wherein the calcium oxide particles are contacted with sprayed water to produce a flow of calcium hydroxide suspended in the carrier gas, delivering the flow of calcium hydroxide to a gas/liquid separator, and separating the calcium hydroxide from the carrier gas in the separator.