US: Cemtech Materials will produce cement using bauxite residue supplied under a new contract signed with New Day Aluminium Holdings subsidiary Noranda Alumina. Noranda Alumina has executed a letter of intent with Cemtech to sell it 60,000t of bauxite residue starting in the fourth quarter of 2020. The bauxite will be used in the cement production process as the raw material for iron, replacing other current iron bearing raw materials.

Noranda Alumina chair and chief executive officer (CEO) David D’Addario said, “We are focused on continuously improving the sustainability of our business and reducing our environmental footprint on our path to a zero residue refinery, and look forward to helping our partners in the cement industry to achieve their aligned goals.”

The deal follows a beneficial use approval from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. Noranda Alumina is located in Gramercy, Louisiana. It produces smelter grade alumina for the production of aluminium and chemical grade alumina for non-metallurgical applications.

UK: David Jarvis, a long-time friend of Global Cement Magazine, has published a memoir of his life travelling the world, working on refractory projects starting in the 1960s and for the next four decades. His book, ‘Jazzo’s Journeys’ includes hundreds of anecdotes from more than a hundred countries around the world, many of which will raise a smile. The book is now available here.

US: Solidia Technologies and France-based Chryso have announced a collaborative partnership for the further development of the Solidia ‘ultra-low’ CO₂ concrete product. The companies plan to use their “combined expertise to improve the sustainability performance and material properties” of the concrete.

“Incorporating Chryso’s exclusive water-reducing admixtures adapted to the specific chemistry of Solidia Concrete, will further reduce water consumption in the curing process,” said Tom Schuler, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Solidia Technologies.

India: Ramco Cements has commissioned a 9MW waste heat recovery (WHR) power plant at its 3.7Mt/yr Jayanthipuram, Andhra Pradesh cement plant. Chief executive officer (CEO) Av Dharmakrishnan said, “Besides savings in power cost, the installation of WHR systems in our plants will also reduce CO₂ emissions substantially, which will have a positive impact on the environment.”

BusinessLine Online News has reported that Ramco Cements is currently building a 12MW WHR power plant at its upcoming Kolumigundla, Andhra Pradesh cement plant. When the plant becomes operational it, will bring the company’s total WHR power generation capacity to 39MW.