The cement industry has long been a central part of infrastructure and development, but its impact on the environment remains a challenge.

"The quarrying of limestone, as in cement production, affects both natural resources and groundwater. It is also very dependent on new mining permits," says Erik Viggh, doctoral student at the Industrial Doctoral School and the Department of Applied Physics and Electronics at Umeå University. In order to find raw materials for cement to reduce the need for natural limestone, metallurgical slag, a by-product from the steel industry, has been investigated. Slag has been shown to be a suitable substitute, providing a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the cement process. However, it is unclear as to how the quality of the cement is affected. Through his research, Erik Viggh has developed a chemical model that can be used by the cement industry to evaluate how changes in the process and use of raw materials affect cement quality. This makes it easier to steer production towards a lower climate impact. ....