01
How is clinker made?
- Quarrying limestone and clay
- Crushing and grinding the materials and mixing them in set proportions
- Firing the mix in a rotary kiln at about 1450 °C
- Rapidly cooling the hot nodules, which gives clinker
02
From clinker to cement
Clinker is ground with a small amount of gypsum to make Portland cement. Gypsum controls the setting time. In blended cements, such as Portland limestone cement, other materials are ground together with the clinker.
03
Why is clinker traded?
Clinker is easier to store and transport than cement and is less affected by moisture. That is why some plants buy clinker and produce cement in their own grinding mills. Clinker is one of the common export products of the cement industry.