Selecting and using raw materials for cement manufacture



** This course is undergoing some maintenace and will be unavailable for new registrations whilst the content is updated. Please email Training@CemNet.com with any queries. **

Course Introduction and approach

A new, instant access, online course, comprising of 14 lectures covering all aspects of raw material exploration, planning, extraction and preparation for use as cement clinker kiln feed.

The course is open to all in the cement industry and a fee will be charged for each student, with discounts offered to group bookings.

The course is based on self-learning, allowing students flexibility to follow the lectures at work or home. As well as the lecture slides, the links form an important part of the learning so time should be allowed to follow these and further into the subject where appropriate. A computer with internet access (broadband recommended) and email capabilities will be necessary to follow this course.

Course certification

Participants who successfully pass the end of course exam are posted a course certificate for their training record.

Lecture breakdown

Lecture 1 - Introduction: This lecture covers the essentials of the following:

  • Criteria for Selection
  • Geology and Exploitation

Lecture 2 - What Materials are needed for Cement Manufacture?

  • What Raw Materials?
  • Characteristics of materials
  • Using Raw materials  

Lecture 3 - Geological Processes and the Natural Structure of Mineral Deposits:

  • The Earth
  • Types of Rock
  • Rocks Suitable for Cement Clinker Manufacture
  • Structures Found in Rocks

Lecture 4 - Limestones:

  • Limestone
  • Soft Limestone
  • Recent Deposits
  • Hard Limestones
  • Very Hard Limestone
  • Purity of Limestones
  • Calcination of Limestones

Lecture 5 - Clays, Shales, Sands and Iron Oxides:

  • Secondary Raw Materials
  • Derivation of clays, shales and sands
  • Clay Minerals
  • Sedimentary Deposits
  • Using Clay, Mudstone and Shale
  • Sand
  • Iron Oxides

Lecture 6 - Using Problem Raw Materials:

  • Using problem Raw Materials
  • Extraction Difficulties
  • Chemical Variability
  • Geological Variability
  • Poor Burnability

Lecture 7 - Dealing with Natural Variation:

  • Variability from the quarry
  • Specifications
  • Reducing Variability

Lecture 8 – Geological Exploration:

  • Geological Tools
  • Raw Material Assessment
  • Raw Material Assessment
  • Detailed Geological Investigation

Lecture 9 – Phasing a Quarry:

  • Quarry Plan
  • Feasibility
  • Operations
  • Phasing

Lecture 10 – Raw Materials Preparation:

  • Quarrying
  • Crushing
  • Milling

Lecture 11 - Clinker Chemistry and Raw Material Chemistry:

  • Clinker Composition
  • Raw materials used
  • Clinker making

Lecture 12 – Proportioning of Raw Materials:

  • Raw Materials Proportioning

Lecture 13 – Maintaining Consistency:

  • Raw Materials Storage
  • Raw Meal Preparation
  • Raw Meal Storage
  • Conclusion

Lecture 14 – Blending, Stockpiling and Delivery:

  • Blending
  • The Blending Stockpile
  • Blending silos
  • Delivery of Kiln Feed
  • Conclusion