Smarter for the future: mineral fertilizer from limestone and minerals

Challenges shaping the cement industry

Over the past 15 years, the cement industry around the world has faced a variety of challenges:

• 2008: The global financial crisis triggered widespread economic instability.
• 2019: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted operations and supply chains, sharply impacting the profitability of most cement companies.
• 2024 - CO₂ emissions. Environmental pressure has intensified. Cement production now accounts for 6 – 8% of global CO₂ emissions, making carbon reduction a top priority. Reducing CO₂ emissions has become one of the biggest challenges facing the cement industry. The goal: reduce gross CO₂ emissions by 30% by 2030 (Baasis 1990), and 40% across the full value chain, including concrete.

   

Consequently, the cement industry needs new, innovative ways to reduce its carbon footprint.

Cross-industry innovation

As specialists in mineral processing with experience that goes beyond screening and pelletising, Haver & Boecker have a range of experience in different industries allowing implementation cross-industry solutions. By increasing the product range in areas like cement, dry mortar and lime, we reduce the CO₂ emission per ton of limestone consumption.

Key innovations include:

• Metakaolin integration: the addition of metakaolin in cement production leads to reduced CO₂ emissions by up to 38%.
• Limestone diversification: limestone's potential for product diversification, such as producing quicklime, hydrated lime, and ground calcium carbonate, combined with advanced processing technologies, supports a more sustainable approach to cement manufacturing, ultimately lowering the carbon footprint of the industry.

Business opportunities in clinker reduction and a Vvsion for the future

Reducing the clinker content not only cuts emissions – it opens up new business opportunities for cement manufacturers through the sale of limestone-based products, as existing raw meal production capacities for cement production are no longer fully utilised. The limestone quarry offers the potential for combined production of cement and a variety of other limestone-based products. Haver and Boecker Niagara have supported customers in exploring these opportunities of manufacturing new products in their cement plants, with several successful implementations in plants worldwide.

The work highlights how traditional cement resources can be transformed into mineral fertilizers and construction materials through advanced technology. The result? A more sustainable, diversified, and profitable cement industry.

As a positive side effect, the product expansion will achieve a reduction in the specific CO₂ emissions per t of finished product – proving that innovation not only addresses climate goals but also enhances economic resilience.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/environment/16052025/smarter-for-the-future-mineral-fertilizer-from-limestone-and-minerals/