Implementation of Mineralogical Analysis in Cement Processing

Abstract

Assessment of the mineralogical phase composition of cement and its intermediates play an increasingly important role in cement production. Traditionally, sampling for phase analysis has mostly focused on the kiln and cement. The most essential mineralogical analysis is the free lime quantification for optimizing kiln operation along with the quantification of alite, belite, aluminate, and ferrite to judge the clinker quality. With the drive for more efficient and environmentally friendly cement production, the application of phase analysis has further extended to the analysis of blended cements containing supplementary cementitious materials, such as fly ash, slag, silica fume, or pozzolan. Moreover, mineralogical phase analysis can offer an attractive means for further process optimization in various stages of the cement production process. In this paper, we provide an overview and practical examples of how accurate phase analysis using X-ray diffraction at the various stages in the process helps to produce cement more efficiently and in a more environmentally friendly manner. Furthermore, we discuss the latest X-ray techniques for accurate and rapid mineralogical phase quantification for efficient process control.