The cement industry, a major consumer of grinding media,

 is under intense pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. 

One promising avenue is using industrial by-products like non-ferrous 

metallurgical slags (e.g., from copper production) as supplementary cementitious materials. 

However, these slags are harder to grind than traditional clinker, requiring more energy.

Recent scientific research is directly tackling this efficiency challenge. 

A study published in April 2025 demonstrated that a class of chemicals 

called alkanolamines can act as highly effective grinding aids for these slags. 

When added in small quantities (e.g., 0.025% by weight), they improve grinding efficiency 

by up to 8%, directly lowering the electrical energy required. Since grinding can account for 

about 60% of a cement plant's total electrical consumption, even modest efficiency gains 

translate to substantial energy and carbon savings.

This aligns with global "green cement" initiatives, where companies are adopting advanced technologies.

 For instance, Anhui Conch Cement has implemented and optimized an external circulation vertical mill system

 for final cement grinding, highlighting the industry-wide push for more economical and efficient solutions.