Lafarge Brasil has inaugurated a new plant in Matozinhos (Minas Gerais state). The main characteristic of the new plant is the operation with industrial sub-products in the whole production process - from raw materials to fuels for the kilns. The installed capacity for the production of cement is of 1Mta. The company intends to begin, in December, tyre burning trials in the kiln. Lafarge has invested R$9m (US$3m) in the new system and intends to substitute 15 per cent of the present energy mix in 2005, reaching 25 per cent in 2006. The company says the project is in accordance with the rules of the Kyoto Protocol. When operating at full capacity the plant will process 6000t of tyres per month. Published under Cement News