Research project
Developing iron-rich cement clinker & understanding ferrite for the valorisation & upcycling of steel slags (FeRICH)
- Start date: 2 June 2024
- End date: 29 April 2026
- Funder: UKRI
- Value: £1,392,715
- Partners and collaborators: University of Sheffield, University of Leuven (Collaboration) British Steel Ltd (Project Partner) RWTH Aachen University (Project Partner) Vito (Project Partner) Hanson Heidelberg Cement Group (Project Partner)
- Primary investigator: Prof. Theodore Hanein
- External co-investigators: Nicola Morely (Sheffield) External PI
Cement and steel are foundational to the UK economy. Together, they underpin the infrastructure we rely on, from buildings and transport networks to energy systems. Yet both sectors face urgent and intersecting challenges as the UK transitions to a net zero economy.
Cement manufacture is highly resource- and energy-intensive, relying on approximately 12.5 million tonnes of natural raw materials each year and generating significant carbon emissions. At the same time, the steel industry produces up to 1 million tonnes of iron-rich by-products annually. These materials are often underutilised despite containing key elements required for cement production.
FeRICH addresses these challenges through circular innovation. The project aims to replace natural raw materials in Portland cement manufacture by valorising iron-rich waste streams from the steel industry. By developing and validating manufacturing data for ferrite-rich Portland cement, FeRICH will establish optimal kiln conditions and material compositions to maximise process efficiency, reduce energy demand, and maintain high cement performance.
The knowledge and tools generated through FeRICH will accelerate the uptake of iron-rich industrial by-products in cement manufacture. In doing so, the project reduces the environmental burden of cement production while supporting the steel sector’s transition toward zero waste. This demonstrates how circular economy strategies can drive industrial decarbonisation.
Impact
Upon completion the findings and data developed in this project will be assimilated into tools that will accelerate the uptake of iron rich wastes in cement making and ultimately reduce the environmental burden of the cement industry and drive the steel industry towards zero-waste. It will explore the industrial symbiosis opportunities between the cement and steel sectors and the space for the implementation of a mutually beneficial and practical circular economy strategy. Alongside these primary goals it will serve as a platform for industry-research engagement, and international knowledge exchange.
Publications and outputs
https://futurumcareers.com/concrete-change-the-innovative-chemistry-of-sustainable-cement,
fbuil-07-698830 | School of Civil Engineering | University of Leeds
Slag variability | School of Civil Engineering | University of Leeds
ICCC Paper Baral | School of Civil Engineering | University of Leeds
Hydration and carbonation curing of high ferr | School of Civil Engineering | University of Leeds
Sustainable iron-rich cements Raw material | School of Civil Engineering | University of Leeds
FErich Characterisation of iron-rich cementit | School of Civil Engineering | University of Leeds