Successful decarbonisation
through SCMs – lessons
from Brazil
Silvia Vieira
R&D general manager
GCCA 2050
cement and
concrete
industry
roadmap for
net zero
concrete
Votorantim Cimentos sustainability
commitments
The clinker factor of cements
produced by Votorantim Cimentos
77.7%
76.6% is decreasing steadily and it is one
75.0%
74.2%
74.9% of the lowest among the cement
74.0%
producers
68.0%
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 ... 2030
Use of SCM at VC plants
• Fly ash
• Natural pozzolan
• Limestone filler
Limestone filler
Limestone filler
Blast furnace slag
Limestone filler Steel slag
Natural pozzolan
Fly ash
Amorphous, natural silica
• Blast furnace slag
VCBR footprint
permits access • Acidic slag
to different and • Fly ash
competitive SCM • Natural pozzolan
• Calcined clay
• Limestone filler
24
21
19
17
Fly ash and blast furnace slag
23
are concentrated in the S and
20
22
SE regions of Brazil 18
14
15 12
Votorantim Cimentos is using Southest South 16
1 Cantagalo 6 Pinheiro Machado
acidic slag, natural pozzolan 2 Santa Cruz 13
3
7 Vidal Ramos
1
and calcined clay to reduce KKC 3 Itaú de Minas 8 Rio Branco do Sul
5
4 2
4 Salto de Pirapora 9 Imbituba 8
of the cements produced in the 5 Santa Helena 10 Itajaí 9
7 10
11 Esteio
Center, N and NE of the
North Northeast Midwest
6 Blast furnace slag
country. 22 Porto Velho 17 Sobral 11
12 Sobradinho Fly ash
23 Xambioá 18 Laranjeiras 13 Corumbá
24 Primavera 19 Pecém Acidic slag
14 Nobres pozzolans
20 Poty 15 Cuiabá Natural pozzolan
21 São Luís 16 Edealina
Calcined clay
One of the main contributors for the
lower clinker factor of Votorantim
Cimentos are the Brazilian operations
This is due to: 74.0
KKC Votorantim Cimentos Brazil
• Geographical distribution of Votorantim 73.2
Cimentos plants
• The market acceptance of cements with
high level of clinker replacement 71.2
• The performance-based standard for 70.0 70.1
pozzolan to be used as cement 69.7
69.4
constituent
• Our expertise in the production of
calcined clay
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
SCM allowed by standards to be used in cement
and/or concrete Pozzolan: definition & requirements
Brazilian standard ASTM C & EN
Performance-based Prescriptive
Brazilian
SCM ASTM EN Any material that has Pozzolanic materials are
standards
strength activity index natural substances of siliceous
Blast furnace slag √ √ √ measured with cement or silico-aluminous
≥ 75% composition. Can also be
Pozzolan √ √ √
calcined. Need to comply with
Fly ash √ √ √ specified:
Silica fume √ √ √ ü Chemical composition
ü Fineness
Limestone filler √ √ √ ü Strength activity index
ü Water requirement
ü Soundness
ü Autoclave expansion/
contraction
Votorantim Cimentos Brazil
has been using copper,
nickel and manganese slags
as cement constituents
Pozzolanic activity with cement 117
They are by products of 28 days compressive strength (%)
beneficiation of ores in the 95
production of metallic copper, 85
nickel and manganese,
respectively
Cu slag Ni slag Mn slag
Non-traditional SCM used by
Votorantim Cimentos Brazil
Votorantim Cimentos Laranjeiras plant, NE of
Brazil, is using manganese slags, supplied by
a big steel producer, since 2015 to
manufacture:
• High early strength, sulfate resistant
cement (~10% of Mn slag)
• Pozzolanic cement (~30% of Mn slag)
0.300
Dimensional variation (%)
0.250 No risk of expansion
0.200 due to sulfate attack
The addition of Mn slag
0.150
improves durability of
cement products 0.100
0.050
0.000
7 14 21 28 35 42
Age (days)
Dimensional variation (%)
0.200
Cement with Mn slag
0.160
• Has lower heat of hydration No risk of expansion
0.120
• Is sulfate resistant due to ASR
• Is able to prevent ASR (alkali silica reaction) 0.080
0.040
0.000
0 10 20 30
Age (days)
Test done with CP IV with Mn slag produced at Laranjeiras plant
Due to its high strength and durability, the
cements with Mn slag from Laranjeiras plant
has been used for infrastructure works and
structures near to or on the cost or in contact
with sea water
The use of pozzolanic cements helps to increase the durability and the
service life of concrete, decreasing its environmental impact.
It saves considerable amounts of natural aggregates, water, energy
and cement, reducing the CO2 related emissions.
Thanks
