19 February 2020
EU: Researchers from LafargeHolcim, Vicat and the Technical Association of the Hydraulic Binders Industry (ATILH), have called for harmonised European standards to enable the introduction of ternary cement blends such as CEM II C-M and CEM VI, which comprise clinker, limestone and supplementary cementitious materials, most commonly slag and fly ash, so that the European cement sector can lower its CO2 emissions. "It’s a very powerful short-term lever," said Fabrice Copin, director of the industrial process at ATILH.
The roadmap for achieving carbon neutrality in 2050, established by the industry in 2018, makes the development of new cements a priority. Placing low-clinker cements on the market could reduce the amount of CO2 emitted by 127kg/t, around 20% of the 656kg/t average in Europe at present.
With clinker factors of just 50-65% for CEMII / C-M, and 35-50% for CEM VI, Edelio Bermejo, director of research and development (R&D) at LafargeHolcim insists, "These cements are no longer at the R&D stage. They have been widely validated and we are ready to produce them, especially as their manufacture does not require modification of our facilities."
However, these new cements cannot be widely sold and used due to a legal deadlock at the European Commission level that hinders their approval, according to Xavier Guillot, the manager of standards coordination at LafargeHolcim. “To introduce them, the harmonised European standard which authorises their placing on the market must be revised,” said Guillot. “However, legal problems between the European Commission and the European Committee for Standardisation prevent the work from being finalised. The cement manufacturers are considering drafting a standard common to all member states, but which would be applied at a national level within each member state. We have to move forward to face the challenges we are asked to answer, namely reducing our CO2 emissions.”
One of the limits of CEM II / C-M and CEM VI cements is the availability of substitutes used to replace clinker which are clustered around other industrial sites such as steel plants and coal-fired power stations. "In the future, with an increase in the recycling of steel and possible relocations of steel mills, the deposits are likely to move away from our markets and to diminish,” said Laury Barnes, Vicat’s scientific director. “In addition, the current availability of slag will not cover all the needs for low-carbon cements. Likewise for the fly ash, which should become increasingly rare as the thermal power plants close.”
Barnes instead advocates calcined clays as a suitable replacement for slag and fly ash. "Clays are minerals found everywhere on Earth,” says Barnes, who, like Bermajo, advocates the use of LC3 cement blends being developed by a Swiss-Indian-Cuban consortium. These contain clay that has been heated to 800°C instead of slag or fly ash.
Cuban plant burning tyres 19 February 2020
Cuba: State-owned Cementos Cienfuegos has started to burn waste tyres in order to save on imported petcoke costs. Cuba is suffering a coal shortage due to reinforced economic sanctions led by the US.
The plant is using 130-150 tyres per day as part of a project that, in its initial phase, makes it possible to replace 5% of its petcoke requirements. Plant manager Ernesto Gálvez, explained the plant eventually aims to burn 400 tyres per day.
Tajikistan continues to import amid rising production 19 February 2020
Tajikistan: Tajikistan continued to import a small volume of cement in 2019, despite a year-on-year increase in the production and export. The country produced 4.2Mt of cement, 0.4Mt (10.5%) more than in 2018. 20,000t of cement was imported into the country in 2019, especially white cement, which is not produced in Tajikistan.
Exports of cement rose during 2019 to 1.5Mt, at a value of US$68.1m. 980,000t were exported to Uzbekistan, 576,000t were exported to Afghanistan and 80,600t were exported to Kyrgyzstan.
Deccan elaborates on Telangana expansion plan 19 February 2020
India: Deccan Cements has firmed up its plan to expand its cement plant in Mahankaligudem, Nalgonda District, Telangana. The plant will be expanded from 1.8Mt/yr via the installation of a third line at an investment cost of US$85m.
The project will also increase the capacity of the plant’s waste heat recovery power plant from 18MW to 33MW. The project will generate employment opportunities for 170 new staff.
The project is expected to commence by September 2020, with completion scheduled for mid 2021.