# Cement

The kiln-made glue of concrete, produced at nearly 4 billion tonnes a year and a major source of industrial CO2.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/

Construction · No. 78

- Not on a critical list
 Construction · Foundation · Matter

The world bakes nearly 4 billion tonnes of cement a year, and China alone makes almost half of it.

Chart: Illustration: Cement

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Limestone and clay are quarried beside the plant and roasted in a rotary kiln that must never stop turning, releasing CO2 and forming clinker.

##### Three things to know

1. China made about 1.7 billion t of cement in 2025, roughly 45% of the world total, with India next at 470 million t.
2. World cement and clinker exports were worth only about $9.9 billion in 2024, because cement is heavy and mostly used locally.
3. Each tonne carries about 0.63 t CO2e, and curing concrete reabsorbs only about 17% of the CO2 released by calcining.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Quarry**Limestone or chalk with clay or shale
2. 2 **Raw meal**Crushed and ground into fine powder
3. 3 **Rotary kiln**Limestone gives up CO2, forms clinker
4. 4 **Finish grinding**Clinker milled with gypsum, slag or ash
5. 5 **Concrete**Ready-mix, blocks and mortar
 Covered in [What makes something a commodityCommodities](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/commodities/what-is-a-commodity/)[The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[Bioplastics: PLA, PHA, bio-PE and starch blendsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/bioplastics-pla-pha-biope-starch/)[Energy, power and the units that measure themEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/energy-power-units/)[The fossil-fuel revolutionEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/fossil-fuel-revolution/)[Making electricity: thermal, nuclear, hydro, wind and solarEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/making-electricity/)and 5 more

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/cement/links/index.md)