Shillong, July 20: Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of the aluminium and value-added products, has invited cement producers to use its by-products for manufacturing low-carbon cement.
Vedanta is looking at long-term collaboration with cement industry players on opportunities of using fly ash (a by-product in thermal power generation) and bauxite residue (a by-product of producing alumina from bauxite) in cement manufacturing. It recently conducted a national workshop with global industry experts.
The cement industry, which is exploring viable solutions to produce cement more sustainably, is the perfect circular economy partner for Vedanta Aluminium. Fly ash and bauxite residue, the two most voluminous by-products generated by the aluminium industry, can be used in cement and concrete manufacturing, providing cement manufacturers significant benefits in terms of quality output, cost and sustainability.
Fly ash can partially replace cement in concrete (or be used to produce blended cement), significantly improving durability and workability of cement. With a 30 – 33% blending ratio, fly ash can help save 270 kg of carbon emissions for every tonne of cement produced.
Bauxite residue can be added to the raw mix in clinker manufacturing to replace virgin bauxite, improving its hydraulic properties and strength. Owing to high concentration of iron oxide and alumina, bauxite residue is a better substitute for laterite, used in clinker manufacturing.
