2 - The Raw Mix

Once transported from the quarries to the cement plant, the raw materials undergo processing in the raw grinding department before being sent to the kiln for firing.

 

The Raw Mill

The Raw Mill is the facility designed to finely grind these materials into a powder with a consistency similar to flour. In the cement industry, this finely ground and dried mixture is specifically called "raw meal". The equipment is known as a "raw mill" because it processes material that is still "raw"—meaning it has not yet been fired in the rotary kiln.

 

Corrective Additives

To achieve the precise chemical balance of calcium, alumina, silica, and iron oxide during the grinding stage, corrective materials are added to the raw meal. For example:

• Sand is used to increase the silica content.
• Natural iron ore or mill scale (a byproduct of industrial steel processing) is used to compensate for any deficiency in iron oxide.

This meticulously balanced mixture is now ready to be transformed by the heat of the kiln.