Cementitious Materials
Portland Cement and Low-Carbon Cement Technologies
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Portland Cement is made up of a combination of limestone, and marl, shale, iron ore, clay, and/or fly ash. The greatest environmental impact of cement is the production of Carbon Dioxide. Cement production accounts for about 5% of carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon Dioxide from portland cement production is emitted in three ways:
- Carbon Dioxide produced from the de-carbonation of limestone (crushed limestone is heated to remove carbon, which escapes into the atmosphere).
- Carbon Dioxide produced from kiln fuel combustion.
- Carbon Dioxide produced from vehicles in cement plants and during distribution.
Low-Carbon Cement
Most low-carbon cements on the market are based on magnesium silicate, which takes less energy to heat than traditional cement materials (reducing carbon lost through kiln fuel combustion). Carbon can be reduced by using modern kilns and lower-carbon fuels (waste solvents, biomass, animal meal) to replace coal as the fuel.
More to come!