- Written by Peter Edwards, Global Cement Magazine
Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, covering an area of 2.15 million km2. It has land borders with Yemen, Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and the UAE. It also has an artificial land border with Bahrain via the King Fahd Causeway. The country is the world's number one oil producer and exporter, with 20% of proven world oil reserves. It has a large cement industry and expanding infrastructure projects that require a lot of cement.
Introduction
The land that constitutes modern day Saudi Arabia was the historical cradle of Islam, which traces its history to the seventh century teachings of the prophet Muhammad. The territory was traditionally occupied by nomadic herders, except for those in major settlements like Medina and Mecca.1
The modern-day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia traces its history back to 1932, after a 30 year campaign by Abd Al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud to unify different factions on the Arabian Peninsula. He set up an Islamic state governed predominantly by Sharia Law and his male decendents have since taken to the throne as Kings of Saudi Arabia.
The current ruler is King Abdullah, who has been on the throne since 2005. His rule has seen the implementation of gradual moderate reforms in this conservative Islamic state, with accession to the World Trade Organisation in 2005, political and social reforms and the implementation of an unemployment benefits system in 2011.1
- Written by Dirk Lechtenberg, MVW Lechtenberg & Partner
Ashes derive from the combustion of solid or liquid fuels in power plants that produce heat and/or electricity. They consist predominantly of inorganic material and small portions of organics due to incomplete combustion. The composition of ash is strongly dependent on the fuel from which it is derived, the combustion technique and the combustion process control. Hence, ash compositions vary over a wide range. Here, Dirk Lechtenbergy from MVW Lechtenberg presents an excerpt from the company's Alternative Fuels and Raw Materials Handbook.
Ashes or coal combustion products (CCP) are categorised in groups, each based on physical and chemical forms derived from coal combustion methods and emission controls.
Fly ash (FA) is a fine powder, which is mainly composed of spherical glassy particles. It is produced by electrostatic or mechanical precipitation of dust-like particles from the flue gases of furnaces fired with coal or lignite at ~1100-1400°C. There, siliceous and calcereous fly ashes with pozzolanic and/or latent hydraulic properties are produced, which depend upon the type of boiler and the type of coal.E-1 Fly ashes from coal-fired power plants can be categorised into European Waste Code (EWC) 10 01 02.
- Written by Peter Edwards, Global Cement Magazine
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federal state comprising seven distinct Emirates, namely Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain. Each of the Emirates is governed by an absolute monarch known as an Emir. The UAE itself is governed by a central president from the capital Abu Dhabi, whose main role is representation of the Emirates. The constitution of the UAE is only concerned with the relationships between the seven Emirates and has no role in deciding how individual Emirates are governed. The UAE has 11 cement plants, but its capacity way outstretches consumption. Today, it is forced to export the commodity to countries, both near and far.
- Written by Peter Edwards, Global Cement Magazine
This review looks at the cement industries of the five countries across the north of Africa; Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. In the past two years each country has experienced political protests with revolutions occurring in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Short- to medium-term development prospects have been damaged in some countries as a result, with instability still affecting development, and hence construction, to different extents. The countries' comparatively old and inefficient cement capacity is in some cases struggling to adapt to altered demand levels, although reasons to hope for future increases in demand remain.
- Written by Peter Edwards, Global Cement Magazine
Costa Rica, literally meaning 'Rich Coast', is a small democratic country, sandwiched between Panama to the south east and Nicaragua to the north west. Part of the Spanish Empire until 1812, the country has had a more stable past in recent times than many of its neighbours, which has allowed steady economic growth.
Economy and cement market
Costa Rica has one of the largest economies in Central America1 and is a consistent high performer in the region in terms of its Human Development Index.2 It has achieved a considerably higher human development rating than countries with comparable incomes. In 1949 Costa Rica took the dramatic decision to abolish its army. Its neutrality and track-record of diffusing tension in neighbouring countries sometimes earns it the nickname 'Switzerland of Latin America'.
