Articles on the cement industry from Global Cement

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Central American countries and those of the Caribbean archipelago have a rich and varied history, evident today in their different political systems, languages and cultures. The region has been heavily influenced by cultures from sub-Saharan Africa and the European powers of Spain, Great Britain, France and the Netherlands, who colonised the region from the 1500s onwards. Many of the countries' modern economies rely on exports of primary resources (such as foodstuffs) and tourism, especially in the Caribbean, although many countries now take a significant income from the services sector.