cement industry federation publications/cif industry... · cement industry federation disclaimer:...

Cement Industry

Federation

Industry Report 2017

CEMENT INDUSTRY FEDERAT ION

Disclaimer: While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the material contained in this report, CIF shall not be held liable or responsible for any loss or damage incurred by any person through the use of this information.

Photos used under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0: 'cement' by Midtown Crossing at Turner Park, flickr.com/photos/midtowncrossing/2985266902/in/album-72157608489429477/, -- 'Cement truck, Adelaide Cement Co.Ltd. - Photograph courtesy of the State Library of South Australia' by Port Adelaide Enfield Local History Photos, flickr.com/photos/paelocalhistory/16724609587/ -- 'Safety Vests Required' by Mark Morgan, flickr.com/photos/markmorgantrinidad/5562182629/.

sustainable cement manufacturing

vital to the growth of the Australian economy

1

Cement Industry FederationWe are the national body representing the Australian cement industry. Our membership is made up of the three major Australian cement producers - Adelaide Brighton Ltd, Boral Cement Ltd and Cement Australia Pty Ltd.

Together these companies account for 100 per cent of the integrated production of clinker and cement in Australia.

The CIF aims to promote an internationally competitive and sustainable cement manufacturing industry that is vital to the growth of the Australian economy.

Key Industry FactsVariation on:

Metric 2015-16 2014-15 1999-00

Clinker Production (1999-00 = 6.56 Mt)

5.47 – 2.9% – 16%

Cement Production (1999-00 = 6.86 Mt)

9.67 5.0% 21%

Cementitious Sales (1999-00 = 8.67 Mt)

9.85 1.3% 14%

Total GHG Emissions (1999-00 = 6.62 Mt)

5.26 – 4.1% – 20%

Emissions Intensity (1999-00 = 0.763 t CO2e / t Cementitious Sales)

0.534 – 5.3% – 30%

INDUSTRY REPORT 2017

2

Australia’s Integrated Cement Manufacturing Industry

As a key investor in regional Australia for over 100 years we continue to have a core focus on being innovative

and sustainable

We employ 1,200 Australians directly and create over 5,000 jobs in key downstream employment.

We add significant value to Australia’s mineral and

energy resources

We provide a critical sustainable ingredient that underpins Australia’s infrastructure – from roads and bridges…..

…..to family homes and commercial buildings


INDUSTRY REPORT 2017 3

Cem

ent

Co

ncre

te

What is Cement?Many people do not realise cement and concrete are different materials.

Cement is a manufactured powder made from limestone, clay and sand that is a key binding ingredient in concrete.

Concrete is the final building and construction material made from a mixture of cement, crushed stone/gravel, sand and water.

What is Cement Used for?Construction of a typical family home requires around 14 tonnes of cement. A kilometre of freeway contains as much as 2,500 tonnes of cement.

The pre-mixed concrete industry consumes the greatest volume of cement, using it in applications such as: concrete slabs and foundations for buildings, roads and bridges, precast panels, blocks and roofing tiles, fence posts, reservoirs and railway sleepers – to name a few.

Cement is also used in bulk quantities in other diverse applications including: stabilisation of roads and rocky surfaces, backfill mining operations, casings in oil and gas wells, as well as renders, mortars and fibre board.

Growth in demand for cement is closely linked to Australia’s economic growth, providing long term investment and employment stability. Cement manufacturing and distribution provide jobs and investment in regional Australia as well as the suburban and industrial areas of our cities.

Stage 3: Cement

4

Stage 1: Raw Material Stage 2: Clinker

How is Cement Made?There are three main stages of cement production:

Figure 1: Schematic of a typical integrated cement manufacturing plant

The process begins with the mined raw materials being ground into a raw meal ready for the kiln. This precise mixture of ground limestone, clay and sand is heated in the pre-calciner before then being fed into the kiln where it is transformed (calcined) into clinker at very high temperatures – typically around 1,450˚C.

The resulting clinker exits the kiln as a small, stone-like material comprised of the special compounds that give cement its binding properties. From here it is cooled and then ground with gypsum and other materials to make cement, which is then sent on to market either in bulk or bagged form.

A modern integrated cement plant incorporates technology and practices that makes the most efficient use of heat throughout the plant.


Raw Material Clinker Production (Kiln) Cement Milling

Sydney

Perth

Brisbane

Fishermans Landing(Cement Australia)

Berrima(Boral Australia)

Railton(Cement Australia)

Birkenhead(Adelaide Brighton)

Angaston(Adelaide Brighton)

Darwin

TASIntegrated

cement plants

VICACT

NSW

QLD

NT

SA

WA

5

Where is Cement Produced in Australia?There are five integrated manufacturing facilities in Australia operated by CIF member companies – Adelaide Brighton, Boral Cement and Cement Australia. The resulting cement is delivered to market through 20 distribution centres.

Integrated cement manufacturing facilities are located in the following regions of Australia (Figure 2), providing employment and investment into the areas in which they operate.

Figure 2: Location of integrated cement manufacturing sites.


6

Main Cement Types Used in AustraliaThere are three main cement types listed in the Australian cement standard (AS 3972):

• General Purpose (Type GP): the most common cement type used in Australia.

• General Blend (Type GB): a common mix of Type GP with various amounts of other cementitious materials such as fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag.

• General Limestone (Type GL): General or blended cement mixed with higher proportion of limestone. This is not a common cement type in Australia.

Other specialty cements used in Australia include Type SL (Shrinkage Limited), Type HE (High Early Strength), Type SR (Sulfate Resistant) as well as various Off White Cements.

Australian Cement ProductionCIF members operate what are termed integrated facilities. This typically includes raw material preparation, a high temperature (clinker) kiln as well as a cement grinding stage. CIF members also operate a number of stand-alone grinding facilities.

Domestic clinker manufacture has recently undergone rationalisation as the industry continues to move away from older, wet process technology to the more efficient pre-calciner clinker production process (Figure 3).

Domestic cement production, on the other hand, has been relatively stable over recent years before reaching record levels in 2015-16 (Figure 4) on the back of increasing demand for cement and an increase in cement grinding capacity.

Clinker production was 5.5 million tonnes in 2015-16, down 3 per cent year-on-year1.

Clinker imports were 3.5 million tonnes in 2015-16, a rise of 7 per cent year-on-year2. Clinker imports as a percentage of domestic production have shown an increasing trend to complement domestic production.

Cement production was 9.7 million tonnes in 2015-16, up 5 per cent over 2014-15. Increased cement production was due to new grinding mills coming online to meet growing demand.

Cement imports were 0.2 million tonnes in 2015-16, a drop of 14 per cent over 2014-15. Cement imports have shown a decreasing trend over the last 4 years.

1 The year-on-year reduction was expected due to the continued consolidation of older technology.2 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics


7

Figure 4: Cement Production and Imports3 Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Mill

ion

Tonn

es

Clinker Production Clinker Imports

3 ABS import data includes clinker/cement imported by non-CIF members

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Mill

ion

Tonn

es

Cement Production Cement Imports


Figure 3: Clinker Production and Imports3

Case Study – Cement Australia Stop for SafetyStop for Safety! This is what the entire Cement Australia workforce did on 6 June 2016 in order to have a 30 minute conversation about safety.

While Cement Australia’s safety performance continues to trend in the right direction, globally shareholders had experienced a significant number of fatal incidents within the past year.

Chief Executive Mr Rob Davies said that “the challenge we face is that the more we interact with risks on a daily basis the harder it is to see them.”

The event required careful planning, dedication and commitment by all involved to ensure that it was conducted safely and effectively.

A facilitation pack was provided to leaders consisting of a run sheet and guidance on how to conduct the activity, a video provided by the workplace safety regulator entitled ‘Jason’s Story’, covering the outcomes of a workplace fatality in Queensland, as well as two recent fatality case studies from overseas shareholders.

In the end Stop for Safety was considered a very successful event, with positive feedback received from all parts of the

organisation. The inclusiveness of the event evoked a sense of belonging and many people were touched by the case studies and video.

Staff came away from the event with an increased sense of personal ownership around keeping themselves and their mates safe at work, and many of the participants suggested an event of this type be considered on an annual basis.

Mr Davies acknowledged the success of the Stop for Safety event, saying that it “shows that you can never

communicate too much about safety.”

Following a serious injury or fatality it is not unusual for people to look back and wish things were different. Events like Stop for Safety give people a chance to talk about what they would do differently before anything happens.

8 CEMENT INDUSTRY FEDERAT ION

Employee Health and Safety

9INDUSTRY REPORT 2017

CIF member companies remain committed to maintaining the health and safety of all those involved in cement manufacturing and use. Maintaining ongoing safety and health awareness as well as continual improvements in safety culture and systems is critical for the cement industry going forward.

All CIF members strive for the elimination of workplace injuries in all aspects of their operations — including in key aspects of cement manufacture such as maintenance, transport, handling and operating procedures.

CIF members comply with national and state safety legislation using customised systems and policies, both to ensure compliance and to maintain a culture of continuous improvement in this critical area of Australian cement production.

Cement Industry and Climate ChangeThe Australian cement industry is committed to further reducing its carbon emissions and to continuing to play an active role in combating climate change.

Cement manufacturing leads to carbon dioxide emissions that are generated from the calcination of limestone during the process – accounting for around 57 per cent of total cement industry carbon dioxide emissions in 2015-16 – in addition to emissions associated with fuels and electricity.

Figure 5: Greenhouse gas emissions profile of a typical cement plant Source: CIF Survey

Total greenhouse gas emissions, including non-kiln fuels, from Australian integrated cement manufacturers were 5.3 million tonnes CO2-e in 2015-16, 4 per cent lower than in 2014-15 (Figure 7).

In terms of cementitious sales the emissions intensity of cement manufacturing, including non-kiln fuels, was 0.534 t CO2-e per tonne in 2015-16 – down 5.3 per cent over 2014-15 levels and 18 per cent lower than in 2010-11 (Figure 8).

57% 31% 12%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Process Emissions Thermal Emissions Indirect Emissions

Heat (fuels) ElectricityLimestoneCaCO3

ClinkerCaO

+ Carbon DioxideCO2


Figure 6: Total CIF cement greenhouse gas emissions – including emissions from non-kiln fuels (Mt)Source: CIF Survey

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Total GHG Emissons

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

(t CO2e/t cementitious)

GHG Emissions Intensity


Figure 7: Emissions intensity of Australian cement manufacturing Source: CIF Survey

Climate Change and Energy Policy PrinciplesA continuing challenge facing policy makers is to ensure that climate change and energy policy do not impact on the trade competitiveness of strategically important Australian industries such as cement manufacturing.

This is particularly important in relation to those countries that may have, or plan to have, a national emissions reduction commitment – but one that does not clearly and directly impact individual facilities.

In considering the development of Australia’s future emissions reduction goals and policies any measures should:

• Be consistent with the Government’s broader economic policy objectives to building a stronger, more productive and diverse economy;

• Be trade and investment neutral to ensure Australian industry is not exposed to costs its competitors do not face;

• Ensure all sectors and jurisdictions within the Australian economy play an active role in reducing their emissions profile;

• Utilise market based measures wherever possible; and

• Ensure efficient and effective administrative reporting against any adopted measures.

Compliance arrangements under the current and previous Government’s policies have been extremely complex and can place a significant financial and administrative burden on individual corporations. Clear criteria should be legislated to ensure external auditing requirements are sufficient.


Emissions Reduction OpportunitiesAustralian integrated cement manufacturers have worked hard for many years to reduce carbon emissions. Significant investments in new kiln technology across the industry since 1990 have contributed a large proportion of the reductions, as well as focussed efforts on alternative fuels/raw materials and energy efficiency in general.

As such, Australian integrated cement manufacturers have a limited number of options in terms of significantly reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. These options, although limited, include: technology upgrades, increased alternative fuel and raw material use, clinker substitution, and general energy efficiency measures.

Carbon capture and storage may also be an emissions reduction pathway over the longer term, however this technology has not yet been proven commercially viable for cement manufacturing.

Figure 8: Emissions reduction opportunities in Australian cement manufacturing

alternative fuels & raw materials

technology upgrade

clinker substitution

energy efficiency


Raw Material Clinker Production (Kiln) Cement Milling

Technology Upgrades (thermal efficiency)Since 1990 there has been a significant increase in the production of cement from the highly efficient dry pre-calciner technology. Approximately 97 per cent of Australia’s cement production occurs in these kilns which have typically resulted from the refurbishment and upgrade of the less efficient suspension pre-heater kilns (Figure 9).

Given that most of Australia’s cement is produced in the efficient pre-calciner kilns, further optimising energy efficiency will require the adoption of energy efficiency measures other than selection of kiln technology type.

It is possible to improve thermal efficiency through making use of waste heat generated by thermal fuel combustion and clinker cooling. Modern kilns use a significant proportion of the waste heat generated by the fuel burnt in the kiln to increase kiln efficiency through preheating and even pre-calcining the kiln feed before it enters the kiln shaft.

Modern kilns can still have significant surplus waste heat, some of which can be used for the drying of fuels such as coal and for conditioning raw materials. As alternative fuels and raw materials become more widely used it is possible that waste heat will also be useful in conditioning these alternatives in preparation for their use in cement kilns.

Figure 9: Australia clinker production by kiln type (million tonnes) Source: CIF Survey

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

to year end

Long wet kiln: Suspension Preheater: Short Dry Grate Preheater:

Semi Wet 4 Stage: Kilns on Standby: Suspension Preheater Precalciner:


Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials (AFRs)Cement manufacturing requires specific minerals – sourced from limestone, clay and sands – as well as significant amounts of thermal energy – mainly sourced from coal and gas.

There are a number of by-products that can substitute for the natural resources that supply both the minerals and/or energy used in cement manufacture. These include wood waste, carbon powders, used oils and solvents, tyres as well spent cell liners from aluminium production.

The use of alternative fuels not only reduces the need to extract resources from the environment – but also has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through displacing fuels such as coal and gas.

Alternative fuels typically require an amount or pre-processing in order to homogenise the fuel to the point where its behaviour can be reliably predicted. Examples of alternative fuels innovation includes solvent use at Geocycle Australia (a subsidiary company of Cement Australia), the use of refuse derived fuels at Adelaide Brighton Birkenhead plant, as well as the implementation of an alternative fuels program at Boral Cement’s Berrima plant.

Currently alternative fuels meet around 8 per cent of the total energy requirements of the Australian cement industry. This is less than the global average of around 10 per cent (Figure 10) and significantly less than for countries such as Germany – mainly due to issues around availability, transport and regulation.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Germany Poland EU avg Quebec Greece Global Australia

Figure 10: Examples of AFR usage levels as a percentage of energy consumption Source: CIF Survey


Waste legislation in Australia, both at the national and state level, is important in terms of increasing the percentage of AFRs in cement manufacturing. Inconsistent policy approaches must be addressed – particularly around issues such as landfill, controlled waste collection and treatment as well as waste to energy policy.

Significant opportunities are available to reduce emissions if the barriers to increasing AFR usage can be addressed. This remains an ongoing area of focus for the CIF.

Clinker Substitution through Mineral AdditionThe largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from cement manufacturing is clinker production. As the raw material limestone is heated to produce clinker, carbon dioxide is liberated. This is a chemical reaction inherent in the production of all cements manufactured from limestone.

Clinker ground with gypsum develops the useful cementitious quality of reacting and hardening when mixed with water. There are other mineral compounds that also have these hydraulic properties when mixed and ground with clinker and gypsum.

These mineral compounds, otherwise known as a supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) or mineral additions, can be used to partially substitute for clinker to produce cement without compromising performance. The avoided process and fuel emissions make SCMs one of the most attractive greenhouse gas reduction options in cement manufacture.

Common SCMs include: limestone, ground granulated blast furnace slag (from iron and steel making), flyash from coal fired electricity generation, and silica fume (a by-product from the production of silicon metal).

There are a number of factors that can limit the use of alternative cementitious materials as a clinker substitute, including: availability, physical and chemical properties, national standards and building codes and market acceptance.


The Australian Cement Standard (AS3972) was amended in 1990 to allow up to 5 per cent mineral addition (limestone, slag, fly ash), and to 7.5 per cent in 2010. The industry has recently undertaken further research to demonstrate that the amount of mineral addition can be increased further without affecting product performance.

Only through strengthening a performance based approach to regulation and standards, and enhancing the knowledge of regulators and other key players, can the wider use of SCMs achieve the maximum potential as a carbon mitigation tool.

Energy EfficiencyManaging energy is part of the everyday business of cement manufacturing. As large users of energy, both in the form of electricity and to produce heat, all CIF members place a high value on managing energy as efficiently as possible.

All CIF members are constantly looking for opportunities to implement energy efficiency improvements where it is economical to do so. Waste heat recovery, for example, is a potential energy efficiency opportunity that has not met investment criteria to-date but remains under investigation by Australian cement plants.

Some jurisdictions are considering programs and measures to mandate a focus on energy efficiency. This is despite the repeal of the Commonwealth Energy Efficiency Opportunities legislation in 2014 due to the high administrative and compliance costs, increasing cost of energy driving reduced energy consumption, and implementation of policies such as Direct Action.

Mandatory programs are not the answer for large energy users. Governments can best support investment in industrial energy efficiency by providing a stable, nationally integrated, industrial, energy and climate policy environment in which competitiveness impacts are addressed.


Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)Carbon capture and storage is a process whereby CO2 is captured as it is emitted, compressed to a liquid, and then transported in pipelines to be permanently stored underground. CSS is recognised as a key technology for delivering net zero emissions during this century.4

However, while promising, CCS has not yet been proven at an industrial scale in cement manufacturing – mostly due to high costs and technical aspects associated with CO2 capture.

Cement plant emissions essentially come from two sources, fuel combustion and from limestone calcination in the kiln. Capturing emissions from these sources will require industry specific capture techniques that are low cost and efficient.5


4 Low Carbon Partnerships Initiative, Carbon Capture and Storage, http://lctpi.wbcsd.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/12/LCTPi-CCS-Final-Report.pdf5 Cement Industry Technology Roadmap 2009, WBSCD/ IEA

Key challenges for CCS in general include funding (upfront capital expenditure and ongoing operation), transport (a crucial link between emission sources and storage sites) and storage (site availability and capacity, political framework).

Work is under way internationally looking at ways to accelerate the development and deployment of low carbon technologies such as CCS. For example, the Low Carbon Technology Partnerships Initiative4, a joint public private initiative, has a goal of between 500 and 1000 projects by 2030.

The Australian cement industry considers CCS to be a possible long term option for significant emissions reductions in the industry.

Case Study – Adelaide Brighton ERF ProjectAdelaide Brighton’s clinker production facility in Birkenhead South Australia has been using a wood based refuse derived fuel (RDF) since 2003 as a partial substitution for natural gas. RDF is a combustible material produced form construction and demolition waste.

Introduction of RDF as a fuel at Birkenhead faced challenges relating to the receival and storage of RDF while ensuring the quality of cement and environmental and safety standards were maintained.

At the inception of the RDF project, the Birkenhead Plant developed protocol for the use of RDF with the Environment Protection Authority and consulted with the local community to manage the introduction of RDF to the site. Regular monitoring of stack emissions is undertaken and reported to the Environment Protection Authority and the local community.

RDF is received and stored in a purpose built dedicated receival and firing facility that was commissioned in 2004, with further refinement and improvements to the process resulting in a gas substitution rate of 19 per cent being achieved in 2013.

Over the last 10 years of RDF use, the following benefits have been achieved:

• 7,200,000 GJ natural gas have been conserved;

• Diversion of 600,000 tonnes of combustible waste from landfill;

• Avoided 370,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions; and

• Reduction of 50 per cent in airborne NOx emissions.

In 2015 Adelaide Brighton was successful in securing a contract with the Australian Government under the Emission Reduction Fund to deliver greenhouse gas abatement from the installation of a second RDF receival, storage and firing facility, incorporating the successful elements of the initial facility.

The new facility is designed to increase the sustained burn rate of RDF by 5 t/hour with the aim to reach a fuel substitution rate of 27 per cent. This substitution rate is well above the national alternative fuels use of 8 per cent and closer to the 34 per cent average substitution rate achieved in Europe. This project is anticipated to abate a further 140,000 - 150,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the seven year Emission Reduction Fund contract period.


EnergyAn integrated cement manufacturing plant requires significant amounts of energy to produce clinker, the main ingredient in cement, both in the form of electricity and heat.

Energy in the form of electricity is required to prepare the raw meal (typically limestone, clay, sand and iron ore), run the kiln and to grind the clinker, gypsum and other materials to produce cement (Figure 11).

In 2015-16 the cement industry consumed around 900 GWh of electrical power at around 92 kWh per tonne of cementitious sales – 0.2 per cent lower than in the previous year and 6 per cent lower than 2010-11.

Figure 11: Electrical energy use in the Australian Cement Industry

Energy in the form of heat is required to raise the kiln temperature to over 1,450˚C required to produce clinker. This heat is predominantly generated by coal and natural gas, and to a lesser extent by diesel oil and coke.

In 2015-16 the industry used around 8 per cent less coal, 14 per cent less natural gas and 9 per cent less diesel fuel per tonne of cementitious sales than the previous year.

57% 27% 12% 4%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Cement Milling Clinker Production Raw Material Prep Other

Australian cement manufacturers also recover energy from alternative fuels and raw materials (AFRs). The use of AFRs reduces the amount of fossil fuels – such as coal and natural gas – required for the process, along with associated greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2015-16 AFRs contributed approximately 8 per cent of the Australian cement industry’s total thermal energy requirements.


EnvironmentAustralia’s integrated cement manufacturing operations have a strong commitment to the environment in which they operate. They are governed by site-based environmental licences that require frequent monitoring of emissions that may impact on the community.

CIF members maintain a close relationship with the communities in which they operate. This is important both in terms of communicating the day-to-day events or actions that may impact the community, as well as the longer term plans and goals into the future.

Emissions Monitoring and ReportingAll CIF members manage their facilities in line with their site-based environmental licences as well as national guidelines and standards. Licences governing Australia’s integrated cement manufacturers typically cover particulates, noise, emissions from fuel burning and water quality to name a few.

CIF members carry out extensive monitoring in order to meet both local and national requirements, as well as to support mandatory reporting under programs such as the National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) and the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting scheme (NGERs).



PM10 PM2.5

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Tonn

es

Total Particulate Emissions

Managing particulate emissions remains a strong focus for CIF members given the potential impacts on employees and the community. There was a 27 per cent reduction in total particulate emissions since 2012-13 (Figure 12).

Figure 12: Total particulate emissions from CIF member companies Source: National Pollutant Inventory

Dust reduction strategies utilised by CIF members include upgrading bag filters, flue gas scrubbing, dust suppressants and truck washing facilities.

Water UsageHistorically, water has been an essential ingredient in the production of clinker, with ‘long wet’ kilns requiring the raw material to be mixed with water to create a slurry.

The introduction of ‘long dry’ kilns dramatically reduced the amount of water required for the process. In 2015-16 over 97 per cent of Australian clinker production is now sourced from dry technology kilns.

CIF member companies used 1,843 ML of water in 2015-16, a reduction of 3,921 ML (68 per cent) compared to 2014-15. The significant drop in water consumption observed in 2015-16 reflects the industry’s continued move away from wet process technology with the closure of a wet kiln in Western Australia.

Figure 13: Total water consumption Source: CIF Survey

CIF members continue to focus on proactive approaches to environmental management as part of their commitment to the community and to confirm their continuing licence to operate.

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

ML

Raw Potable Recycled



Case Study – A Special Clinker finds Environmental Benefits at the Berrima Cement PlantBoral Cement has successfully transferred the production of Off-White Clinker from its Maldon Cement plant to the more efficient Berrima Cement Plant – achieving significant savings in water and greenhouse gas emissions.

Off-White Clinker is used to produce a high strength, light coloured cement that is favoured for its aesthetic and structural qualities. The Regent Hotel (Sydney), the High Court and the Department of Foreign Affairs (Canberra) are just a few examples of major projects that demonstrate the unique properties of this material.

Boral Cement has been producing specialty Off-White Clinker at its Maldon Plant for many years using the wet kiln process. This process

involved the consumption of large volumes of water and coal, with relatively high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

After several years of trials the production of Off-White Clinker was successfully transferred to the Berrima Cement Plant, which uses an energy efficient dry kiln process to manufacture grey clinker used in ordinary Portland cement.


The team at Boral overcame significant challenges associated with producing produce two very different types of clinker on the same kiln without wastage or downtime, and the environmental benefits were significant in FY16, including:

• Saving 54 million litres of water, (equivalent to 22 Olympic Swimming Pools);

• Saving 12,000 tonnes of raw coal; and

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 21,000 tonnes (equivalent to removing 5,000 cars of the road for 1 year).

The team at the Boral Cement Berrima Plant continue to pursue further environmental benefits of Off-White Clinker production through optimising raw materials and reducing product wastage.

The Boral Off-White Cement is well known in the Australian market for its lighter colour with a distinctive hue. Now this cement has environmental benefits thanks to energy efficient production at the Boral Berrima Cement Plant.

cement industry federation publications/cif industry... · cement industry federation disclaimer:...

Documents