The use of metallurgical slag in the production of building materials as a direction for the formation of a circular economy
И. О. Тихонова, Ekaterina Potapova, Arina A. Volosatova, Tatiana Guseva
Abstract
The article presents results of the analysis of approaches to using metallurgical slags in the production of construction materials. It is emphasized that increasing production resource efficiency and forming circular economy meets the Russian Federation national development goals and at the same time contributes towards the achievement of sustainable development goals. It is noted that the concept of industrial ecosystems (industrial symbioses) was developed by the Russian school of industrial ecology in the middle of the last century. From a scientific point of view, the proximity of such a system to the natural one is determined by the share of secondary resources used in metallurgical production, and the extent to which secondary resources formed in metallurgical production are involved in the technological processes of installations acting as members of industrial symbiosis. A practical example of an industrial ecosystem functioning in the town of Novotroitsk and consisting of an iron metallurgy enterprise, a cement plant and a slag processing installation, is considered. Quantitative characteristics of the resource efficiency enhancement, environmental impact minimization and carbon intensity reduction are given. It is concluded that the experience of this industrial symbiosis should be replicated in regions where a significant amount of metallurgical waste is generated (or accumulated), and main raw materials necessary for cement production are available. It is noted that industrial symbioses projects aimed at using metallurgical slags in the production of construction materials and thereby forming circular economy elements meet criteria set for green development projects in the Russian Federation and can be implemented with the support of the state or the banking sector using sustainable financial instruments.The researches were carried out using D. Mendeleev Center for collective use of scientific equipment, within the framework of the project No. 075-15-2021-688.