CR Minerals Company, LLC announced that it has reached an agreement with Rio Tinto to produce pozzolans from waste materials at the US Borax facility in Boron, CA.
CR Minerals intends to use onsite waste tailings to produce pozzolans, which can be used as a cement replacement in concrete. As part of the agreement, the pozzolans will be manufactured at a new facility built by CR Minerals on Rio Tinto’s property.
Rio Tinto has been mining and manufacturing products used in fertilizers for nearly a century, but it is also involved in other industries such as glass manufacturing, wood protection, and insulation fiberglass.
Jeffrey Whidden, President of CR Minerals, stated “We’ve been collaborating with Rio Tinto on this concept for several years. Our company’s vision includes converting what were once considered waste streams into usable products for the construction materials industry. Manufacturing a low-carbon alternative to cement will be an exciting venture in California, which takes pride in being at the forefront of positive environmental change.”
“Rio Tinto continues to demonstrate its leadership in the mining industry through this agreement,” said Renny Dillinger, Rio Tinto’s General Manager for US Borax.
“Our commitment to the environment and leaving a lasting, positive legacy is fundamental to our sustainability goals. Finding new uses for waste streams and byproducts like this is critical to our goal of decarbonization and achieving a circular economy.”
