Australia: Boral plans to install chlorine bypass technology at its Berrima cement plant in New South Wales. The Illawara Mercury newspaper has reported that the installation will help the plant to double its alternative fuel (AF) substitution rate to 100%. This is one of the ways in which the producer aims to reduce its Scope One and Two emissions by 46% between 2020 and 2030.

In mid-February 2022, Boral acquired new land at the site of its Dunmore quarry, also in New South Wales.

Nepal: Residents of the Arghakhanchi, Palpa, Pyuthan and Rolpa hill districts of Lumbini Province have reported that increased contamination with residues from limestone extraction has made many traditional water sources unreliable. the Kathmandu Post newspaper has reported that Alpha Cement, BS Cement, Kanchan Quarries, Hongshi Shivam Cement, Palpa Cement, Sarbottam Cement, Satyawati Cement and Siddhartha Minerals operate a total of 10 mines in the affected districts. Springs reportedly took 10 years to recover following the closure of Arghakhanchi Cement’s Narpani quarry in 2012.

Algeria: Some cement truck drivers have launched protests against a change in the law which limits their vehicles’ loads below the previous maximum weight. The L’Expression newspaper reports that protests include refusals to depart and the establishment of roadblocks. The actions have prevented the export of some Algerian clinker. Lafarge Algérie said that it raised drivers’ pay per tonne of goods following the law change. The company stated that the new level of pay ensures that transporters will not lose out as a result.

Algeria is targeting cement and clinker exports of 10Mt in 2022.

India: Ambuja Cement plans to invest US$469m in a 7Mt/yr expansion to its total grinding capacity. BusinessLine Online News has reported that the new capacity will consist of a new grinding plant at Barh, Bihar, and expansions to the company’s Farakka and Sankrail grinding plants in West Bengal. The company says that the new grinding capacity will become crucial after it completes its planned 3.2Mt/yr clinker capacity expansion to its Bhatapara cement plant in Chhattisgarh.