In the present work a possible approach to the utilization of oil shale ash containing free lime in precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) production is elucidated. This paper investigates the Ca (calcium) dissolution process during continuous washing of pulverized firing (PF) and fluidized bed combustion (FBC) oil shale ash layers in a packed-bed leaching column. The main characteristics of the Ca dissolution process from ash are established. The effect of water flow rate is investigated by conducting leaching experiments of oil shale ashes formed in boilers operating with different combustion technologies. The values of the overall and liquid phase mass transfer coefficients are evaluated based on experiments using the developed ash layer washing model. The model is a set of partial differential equations that describe the changes in Ca content in the stagnant layer of ash and in the water flowing through the ash layer. An example in which the model is applied to environmental assessment and estimation of Ca leaching from industrial oil shale ash fields is provided. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.