Cuba’s Siguaney produces first low-carbon cement

Siguaney saw its first low-carbon cement produced on an industrial scale. The Cuban cement plant in Sancti Spíritus delivered a pilot output of 130t of SIG-B45 cement, according to the Structures & Materials R&D Centre (CIDEM) director, Fernando Martirena.

The development of the so-called Ecological Cement started in May with the firing of 120t of kaolin of the Pontezuela quarry in Camagüey. "The first phase successfully concluded on 3 April 2013, and in June we found that all the parameters of more than 65t of metakaolin produced were within the expected values,” said Dr Martirena.

The new cement will be used in the construction of 20MPa and 30MPa concrete for floors and walls, respectively at the premises of the Construction Company for Tourism Works.  In addition, the Building Materials Iindustry of Villa Clara expects to use SIG-B45 cement for concrete blocks. The CIDEM team will monitor of the material and its products in field conditions as part of ongoing research.