Stay up to date with the latest news and updates from the cement industry.
Despite fears of an oversupply situation in the near future, Indian cement manufacturers continue to announce capacity additions on a nearly monthly basis. Many producers are also segueing into the power generation business, as a side project that may help ease production costs and generate capital.
Concrete is the world’s most versatile and most used industrial product, but it is made with cement, a product with more CO2 emissions than any other. How then can we produce sustainable concrete?
Bulk solids such as limestone, clay, gypsum, and slag tend to hang up in silos, plug in chutes, and spill or emit dust from conveyors. These problems cause many cement plants to operate inefficiently, often requiring costly labour to keep these raw materials flowing through equipment. Most of these solids handling problems are the result of one or more of the five common mistakes made in the cement industry.
Cement producers in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are struggling to remain competitive in a period of strong demand. Overseas imports, from countries such as China, Egypt, India and Thailand, are flooding the region and are priced significantly lower than the domestic product thanks to cheap freight rates. Cement producers are calling on governments to step in to protect their industries.
The Arab cement industry has developed remarkably, particularly through the past three years. Its expansion was closely linked to the building and construction industry, which witnessed unprecedented growth in Arab countries. This resulted in higher demand for cement at 10 - 15%, reaching more than 20% in Qatar.
The long running Thorndyke Resource proposal for a pit-to-pier mining project in Washington state has found a new partner in Canada’s Athabasca Minerals. The project is in its seventh year of county approvals and environmental reviews.
In Lafarge Cement UK’s latest annual sustainability report, which includes highlights of the group’s performance in 2008, figures show that the company has made considerable achievements in its quest for improved environmental performance.