Suvo Strategic Minerals Ltd (ASX:SUV) has welcomed positive data from the first phase of its March 10 research agreement with Curtin University.
A study, led by senior lecturer at Curtin’s School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering Dr Thong Pham, is investigating the application of high reactivity metakaolin as a sustainable solution in decarbonising cement.
The study’s first phase has now wrapped up. It focused largely on a literary review and data analysis to evaluate the feasibility and potential for metakaolin application.
Range of applications
The study findings show that metakaolin has numerous potential applications in the cement industry, particularly as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in conjunction with other SCMs to maximise its potential.
Current sectors of concrete adopting metakaolin include:
- high and ultra-high performance, high strength and lightweight concrete;
- precast concrete;
- marine concrete structures; and
- fibre-reinforced cementitious composites.
Importantly, the study found the production of concrete incorporating metakaolin emits significantly less carbon compared to ordinary Portland cement.
An up to 31% reduction in carbon emissions can be achieved with just a 20% metakaolin replacement.
Cement production is the world’s single biggest industrial cause of carbon pollution and is responsible for 8% of global emissions.
The use of metakaolin to produce green cement could therefore have significant global decarbonising benefits.
Strength and durability
The study findings also noted concrete incorporating metakaolin can provide up to a 40% improvement in mechanical properties, such as compressive strength, flexural strength and tensile strength.
This can help increase the lifespan of concrete structures by up to 50%, leading to another potential 14% reduction in CO2 emissions, as well as a reduction in cement, water and aggregate demand.
Researchers also found metakaolin concrete possesses better durability characteristics, significantly extending its application to marine structures.
Incorporating metakaolin into concrete can greatly lengthen the life span of concrete structures under harsh conditions.
Using assumptions from previous studies, Curtin University researchers reported that metakaolin could be used in a concrete mixture between 10 and 40% of the mass of cement while potentially improving the mechanical properties of the concrete.
Huge potential demand
The study underscored a potential demand range of 0.72 to 2.88 million tonnes per annum of metakaolin from the Australian construction industry alone.
There is no current onshore production of metakaolin. This means a big supply gap, with the Australian construction industry likely needing to import metakaolin to meet its demand.
“These initial study findings from Dr Thong Pham and his team at Curtin University Illustrate the success that was achieved with metakaolin as a pozzolanic, outside Australia,” Suvo executive chairman Henk Ludik said.
“With cement production currently accounting for about 8% of global emissions, the metakaolin produced by Suvo has the potential to provide a significant reduction in global CO2 emissions.
“We look forward to replicating the success achieved elsewhere in Australia, to play a meaningful role in the decarbonisation of the cement industry and consequently in the mining, infrastructure and industrial sectors in the Asia Pacific region.”
The global green cement market is forecast to be worth US$56 billion by 2027.