Alternative Raw Materials
Both Mill Scale and Black Sand fully substitute the requirement for Ironstone, a mined raw material ingredient used in the manufacture of clinker for cement.
Mill Scale is a high iron by-product from the steel making industry. Black Sand is a slag derived from the smelting industry. Together these ironstone substitute materials have replaced more than 300,000t of mined raw material since 2003.
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What are alternative raw materials?
Alternative raw materials are waste products that are rich in calcium, silica, alumina, or iron that can replace traditional mined raw materials such as limestone, clay, and ironstone.
Why does ABC use alternative raw materials?
The successful reuse of process waste products, that would otherwise go to landfill, continues to improve the sustainability of ABC’s Birkenhead operation, and contributes to the circular economy of South Australia.
What is Black Sand?
Black Sand (processed Blast Furnace Slag) can fully substitute the requirement for Ironstone, a mined raw material used in the manufacture of clinker for cement. Black Sand (processed Blast Furnace Slag) is a waste by product from the lead and zinc extraction process in the smelter industry.
What is Blended Mill Scale?
Mill Scale is a high iron oxide by-product from the recycling of scrap steel
How does using alternative raw materials impact emissions?
All alternative raw materials are assessed to ensure compliance with environmental legislation and standards before they are approved for use by the SA EPA
More than a decade of consumption of Black Sand and Blended Mill Scale at the Birkenhead site has demonstrated that there are minimal emission impacts from their use as a replacement for mined ironstone.
ABC undertakes regular monitoring to identify and report on both stack and ambient air emissions from the Birkenhead plant to ensure compliance with our licence under the Environment Protection Act 1993.
ABC understand community concerns regarding dust (particulates) within the local area and are proactively seeking to reduce emissions from the Birkenhead plant through a range of improvement actions and control measures. ABC also has an Environment Protection Authority (EPA) approved Environment Improvement Plan (EIP), endorsed by the SA EPA, that includes actions to reduce dust emissions.