Holcim Australia has signed a MOU with an emerging mineral processing technology company to collaborate using a special supplementary cementitious material in its concrete pilot trials.
The Memorandum of Understanding establishes the framework for Zeotech and Holcim to collaborate using high reactivity metakaolin (HRM) in concrete in Australia and further develop low-emissions building products.
The news comes five days after Holcim Australia, a Gold member of the Concrete Institute of Australia, announced new branding reflecting its commitment to “delivering environmentally sustainable and innovative building solutions” and net-zero emissions by 2050.
Zeotech said studies had shown metakaolin can “enable the associated CO₂ emissions of producing concrete to be reduced significantly”. The company will provide Holcim with up to 10 tonnes of HRM for concrete pilot trials for further commercial validation and exchange technical information and test results to support the completion of a preliminary feasibility study.
Holcim previously received kaolin samples from Zeotech for testing and a report associated with trials undertaken using raw ore kaolin. The Central Queensland University report confirmed that a HRM that exceeds the Australia Standard and ASTM International Standard for a manufactured pozzolan can be produced from a range of Zeotech’s Toondoon (Queensland) kaolin profiles.
Both Holcim and Zeotech agreed to collaborate on potential state or federal government funding to develop low emissions technologies associated with the production of metakaolin or Holcim’s products. The non-binding MOU also offers the potential for joint ventures or alternate structures in relation to metakaolin manufacturing as well as financing and construction of any such facilities.
Image: Zeotech
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is the Editor of Concrete in Australia and at the helm of our magazine for 8 years. She was behind the Institute's weekly news bulletins from 2016-2021 and is now writing our focused news items. Desi has been an engineering news and features journalist/editor across all disciplines since 2013 - part of a 30-year career writing for a wide range of industries.