Articles / Manufacturing Technology

Rapid raw clay quality control in calcined clay cement production

10 August 2026

Ensuring consistent quality of calcined clays used in cement production requires reliable monitoring of both the calcination process and the mineralogical composition of the raw clays. Research conducted by VDZ highlights the application of X-ray diffraction combined with cluster analysis as a rapid and robust tool for automated mineralogical characterisation and quality control of raw clays. The findings demonstrate how this method can support efficient in-plant monitoring, enabling early detection of compositional variations of raw clays and contributing to the consistent production of high-quality calcined clays. By Dr Natalia Dietrich and Dr Jörg Rickert, VDZ, Germany, and Peter Lausser, Bruker AXS SE, Germany