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How are soft raw materials such as chalk and clay extracted for cement production?
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Cement
The cement-making process, from crushing and grinding of raw materials, through roasting of the ground and mixed ingredients, to final cooling and storing of the finished product.
For the production of cement, soft raw materials such as chalk and clay are extracted by being dug directly from the ground using excavators.1
Once excavated, these materials are transported to a processing plant via trucks, railway freight cars, conveyor belts, or ropeways. Unlike harder rocks that require blasting and crushing, soft materials are typically broken down through a process of vigorous stirring with water in wash mills. This process creates a fine slurry, which is then passed through screens to remove any oversize particles. Depending on the specific manufacturing process, this slurry may be transported by pipeline or stored in tanks for further blending before being fed into a kiln.123