Suvo has engaged Curtin University to study the potential of high reactivity metakaolin produced using kaolin from its White Cloud project to produce highly sought after green concrete.

HRM is already used by the concrete industry as an additive (pozzolan) for applications that require ultra-high performance, high-strength lightweight concrete.

Importantly, the carbon dioxide emissions of HRM-based cement could halve the industry’s emissions when compared to conventional Portland cement.

This has the potential to make a big dent in global emissions given that the cement industry generated about 8% of the world’s total emissions.

Greater adoption of high-quality HRM could also be very lucrative for Suvo Strategic Minerals (ASX:SUV) given that it commands premium prices of between US$500 and US$750 per tonne.

Curtin University will carry out research comparing CO2 emissions of HRM produced from White Cloud kaolin to other pozzolanics.

The University’s School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering senior lecturer Dr Thong Pham noted that adoption of green concrete has been hindered by the poor and variable quality of low carbon materials that are available to replace Portland cement.

“Compared to other sustainable binders, HRM has much higher quality control and consistent chemical compositions, which make it a great substitute to typical energy-intensive Portland cement for an alternative yet excellent and reliable binder in green concrete,” he added.

“Suvo metakaolin will potentially be flash calcined to minimise carbon footprint and simultaneously provide optimum properties for use as a pozzolan, allowing for high cement replacement to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and improve concrete performance.

“Our research will focus on the viability and impact that HRM can have on rapidly decarbonising the global cement industry.”

 

Project scope

Under the first phase of the project, Dr Pham and his team will carry out a comprehensive investigation on the commercial potential of HRM in the concrete industry, including the technical benefits that HRM can provide for concrete materials, especially green concrete

They will also investigate the global potential of HRM, document previous studies on its technical benefits and characteristics, conduct a life cycle assessment of HRM based concrete in terms of carbon footprint, emission properties and energy cost savings using a sample produced from Suvo’s White Cloud Kaolin Project in Western Australia.

Suvo will also review the production of flash calcined metakaolin to incorporate into the pre-feasibility study for the Gabbin (White Cloud) kaolin project.

This article was developed in collaboration with Suvo Strategic Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.