Industry Facts

Cement Plant

A cement mill or plant is the facility where cement is produced. This is the fine powdered product that is used in producing concrete. People often confuse cement with concrete, when cement is actually an ingredient in concrete. Cement is produced by taking natural aggregates such as limestone and sand, combining them with other materials containing iron and aluminum in a processing kiln at temperatures of 2,800 degrees. The cement plant is often located adjacent to a quarry where the raw materials are mined and extracted. After the cement is produced it is usually shipped from the plant in tanker trucks or railroad cars.

Quarry or sand and gravel operation

These facilities mine and extract aggregates (rocks and sand) for use in concrete, asphalt, other construction materials, or simply for use on their own. A quarry is an operation where aggregates must be extracted via blasting or other means of breaking the rock loose from the ground. Once large pieces are broken loose, they are crushed and processed into smaller pieces that are sorted by size, and then sold by the ton. Sand and gravel are typically found near riverbeds or water sources. The materials are dredged or excavated from the ground, processed over screens, sorted into various sizes and sold by the ton.

Concrete batch plant

Concrete batch plants combine cement, water, sand and rocks together to create concrete. These plants employ rotating drum trucks where the raw materials are combined and mixed enroute to a jobsite. Ready-mix concrete is typically sold in volume by the cubic yard.

Interesting Facts

Residential Home = 100 yards of concrete
1 mile of 6 lane highway = 15,000 yards of concrete
Hospital = 30,000 yards of concrete
High School Football Stadium = 100,000 yards of concrete