Korea’s steelmaking giant Posco Group is partnering with the domestic construction industry to explore the use of its steelmaking byproduct in enhancing cement quality, the company announced Friday.
Posco signed a joint agreement with five Korean construction firms, including GS Engineering & Construction, as well as seven cement and ready-mixed concrete producers, on April 11 in Seoul. Academic institutions such as the Korea Concrete Institute and Posco's research unit, the Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology, also joined the collaboration.
The aim is to develop high-performance concrete using slag, a byproduct of steelmaking.
Posco said that it seeks to eliminate production waste and lead the transition to a fully circular economy by leveraging the collective strength of the entire group.
Slag is the residue left after separating steel from iron ore. It can serve as an eco-friendly alternative to natural limestone in cement production.
Cement mixed with slag generates less heat during solidification, which helps reduce the risk of cracking in concrete and improves its overall durability and strength, according to Posco.
Although fine slag powder has already been used in cement, a lack of standardized slag materials and the absence of a defined slag ratio in the market have posed challenges.
As part of the project, Posco will supply high-quality slag and develop standardized slag cement for use in the project. Partner companies will use this material to manufacture advanced concrete mix and build structures with improved durability. The Korea Concrete Institute will oversee the quality assessment of the new concrete mix.
Posco hopes this collaboration will open new business opportunities by effectively utilizing its steelmaking byproducts, while also establishing a reliable supply chain for construction materials.
In line with Posco Group CEO Chang In-hwa’s recent remarks describing the group’s competitiveness as its ultimate technological edge, the company is committed to overcoming unprecedented crises in the steelmaking industry by advancing its technology, according to a Posco official.
This will be achieved by securing competitiveness in its core business through its “super-gap” technology and by utilizing byproducts that are inevitably generated during steelmaking, the official added.
forestjs@heraldcorp.com
