Cement Kiln Dust (CKD): Potential Beneficial Applications and Eco-Sustainable Solutions

Abstract

Over many decades, cement has been the primary component in construction projects and is considered one of the essential industries worldwide. At the same time, it overconsumes natural resources and can negatively impact the environment through a few byproducts, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and cement kiln dust (CKD). The generated quantity of CKD is estimated to be 15–20% of the produced cement, which means CKD can be induced in hundreds of millions of metric tons synchronously with annual global cement production. Unfortunately, not all materials of CKD are suitable for recycling in cement manufacturing since it contains high levels of alkalis, sulfate, and chloride, leading to excessive concentrations in the final product. Therefore, CKD industrial utilization has become highly recommended in recent research as a potential beneficial application from economic, environmental, and sustainability perspectives. This review paper highlights and discusses the recently conducted research articles that investigate the industrial applications of CKD. The obtained outcomes showed that CKD has physical and chemical properties that make it practical in many fields, such as soil stabilization, concrete mix, chemical treatment, ceramic and brick manufacturing, and mine backfill. They also indicate a lack of studies investigating CKD in mine backfill applications as a partial replacement material for cement due to the high cost of binders, optimization, and sustainability purposes.