Cement is an important material, used across the world for hundreds of projects, buildings, and infrastructure. You might not have given cement much thought; however, it is pretty key, as it makes up the foundation for many of our paths, buildings, bridges, homes, and pavements. Let’s take a look at how cement is made, from the raw materials to the final process.

Raw materials

Cement starts its life with rocks. These raw materials are usually limestone, shale, or clay, which have the chemical ingredients contained within them to create cement: silica, alumina, iron, and calcium. These raw materials are mined, taken from quarries, and crushed into small pieces to be processed into cement.

Into the kiln

These crushed-up rocks are mixed before being placed into a huge rotating kiln, which can reach extremely high temperatures of up to 1450°C. This is even hotter than molten lava. Whilst these raw materials are being processed, calcination occurs: the heat instigates chemical changes within the rocks and helps transform them into clinker. Clinkers appear as small grey balls and later become cement.

Grinding the clinker

The clinker is then ground down until it becomes a super-fine powder, and a mineral is added to help the cement set correctly when it is later mixed with water. This final powder is what we call cement, which can then be used in our construction projects and turned into concrete.

For concrete Forest of Dean and the wider area, companies such as monstermixconcrete.co.uk/concrete-forest-of-dean provide a comprehensive service.

Cement or concrete?

Many of us get confused between these two elements. Although they are often used interchangeably, they are not the same. Cement is simply one ingredient in concrete, only becoming concrete when mixed with sand, gravel, and water, which binds it together and makes sure it hardens into the strong material needed for the final project.

Cement might seem a bit of a boring topic, but it is a pretty cool material; after all, cement shapes our world, from our homes to our city landscapes, buildings, and gardens.