Dear Readers,
The global cement, lime and gypsum sector is pressured by net-zero carbon targets, raw material supply and surging demand for sustainable construction materials. This issue brings together a full spectrum of industrial breakthroughs, cross-corporate partnerships and in-depth ...
Ghent cement plant (Credit: Heidelberg Materials Benelux)
Heidelberg Materials Benelux started the batch production of calcined clay at its Ghent cement plant in Belgium. The calcined clay is for the production of Q-CEM, which shall pace the way for the production of low-carbon cements. Q-CEM ...
Photo: ECRC in Hofors, Sweden (Credit: SaltX Technology)
SaltX Technology from Sweden strengthened the partnership with Holcim after a first partnership agreement had been signed in June 2025, and Holcim became a major shareholder. The goal by the two companies is to implement Europe’s first...
Photo: First batch of clinker from Zero-Slag raw material (Credit: Magsort)
At the 18th Global Slag Conference April 14–15 in Istanbul, Finnish Magsort presented their latest results on the substitution of limestone in the clinker production. Although limestone is cheap and abundant, the...
Photo: Concrete Waste Upcycling Plant in Rotterdam (everox)
Martin Paterson, Chief Commercial Officer of the Dutch company everox, gave an outstanding presentation at the World Cement Association (WCA) Annual Conference in Bangkok in April about the “The next generation of building material...
Photo: Teams members of both companies (CURA and Titan)
CURA Climate Inc. (CURA) from Canada and the Titan Group announced in a MoU to test a new innovate limestone splitting technology. The project (photo) starts with laboratory testing, followed by technical and commercial assessments to explore...
Photo: ABB and alcemy collaborate to bring AI-driven quality control to cement production
ABB and alcemy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop AI solutions for cement and concrete quality optimisation, while supporting carbon reduction targets. The partnership will integrate...
Photo: Cement grinding plant in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (PPC Group)
PPC Zimbabwe and Sinoma Overseas signed a memorandum of agreement to improve the operational efficiency of the existing plants and to expand the capacity of the leading cement manufacturer in the country. PPC operates an integrated ceme...
The German Lime Association (Bundesverband der Deutschen Kalkindustrie e.V., BVK) is calling for a fundamental modernization and acceleration of planning and approval procedures for domestic limestonemining. Increasing delays in permitting processes are putting investments, security of supply, and ...
The decarbonation efforts of the cement industry in the past decades have led to a huge number of innovations of alternative binders with mixed, and for many times, confusing names. This communication provides an overview on the differences of reaction mechanisms of recently fast-developing and wide...
1 About CSTI
As a UNESCO Associated, CTCN Technical Assistance Provider, and independent scientific research trust, CSTI uses an EcoChemistry lens to identify solutions across multiple sectors. We identify large public-interest markets, such as low-carbon construction, pollution control,...
As lime production ranks among the most carbon intensive industrial processes worldwide, decarbonizing this sector is a priority. With approximately two thirds of CO2 related to the decomposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) into calcium oxide (lime, CaO) and CO2 the lime industry is classified as ...
In a high-volume (50 wt.%) spodumene lithium slag (LS)-blended cement system, a polycarboxylate ether (PCE)-stabilized C-S-H nano-seeding accelerator (C-S-H-PCE) was introduced to improve the early-age mechanical properties. The effects of C-S-H-PCE on workability, early strength, and hydration...
This study investigates the use of recycled rubber (RR) and recycled plastic (RP) as partial replacements for natural sand in self-compacting concrete (SCC), with the objective of improving sustainability while maintaining satisfactory fresh-state behaviour. An experimental program was carried out ...
Although magnesium ammonium phosphate cement exhibits promising thermal resistance, the effects of mix proportions on its phase evolution and performance at high temperatures remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of magnesia-to-phosphate, water-to-cement, and boric acid to-magnesia rat...
As a reinforcing material for cement-based composites, the smooth surface and lack of chemical activity of polyoxymethylene (POM) fiber result in poor adhesion to the matrix, thereby limiting the application effect. In this paper, an attempt to improve the bonding performance between the POM fibers ...
Fuel consumption in the calciner represents 60% of the total fuel used in cement clinker production. This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels in the calciner. A numerical model was developed to simulate a hydrogen-powered calciner...
High-performance concrete (HPC) intended for severe environments requires exceptional strength and durability. This study investigates the synergistic potential of silica fume (SF) and nano-silica (NS) in a ternary cementitious system (cement-SF-NS) to overcome the limitations of using single...
This paper explores the use of silica sol as an admixture for enhancing the performance of alkali-activated slag-bonded clay (AASC). In this system, clay plays both a filler role and participates in hydration reactions by retaining water and releasing active ions (e.g., Ca2+), which influences ion ...
