The possibility of producing cement clinker using low-energy, resource-saving technologies is studied. The composition of industrial waste for low-energy-intensive production of Portland cement clinker at factories in Southern Kazakhstan is analyzed. The possibility of replacing the deficient iron-containing corrective additive with “Waelz clinker for zinc ores” is shown. “Waeltz clinker from zinc ores” as part of the raw material charge performs several tasks: it is a ferrous corrective additive, works as a mineralizer for clinker formation processes, introduces coal into the charge and allows one to reduce the consumption of natural fuel. The processes of burning raw mixtures, wholly or partially consisting of industrial waste, are completed at 1350 °C. This reduces the consumption of main burner fuel for clinker burning and reduces CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere. High-quality cement clinker is obtained based on raw material mixtures with Waeltz clinker from zinc ores from the Achisai Metallurgical Plant, phosphorus slag, coal mining waste from Lenger mines and sodium fluoride. The phase composition and microstructure of low-energy clinkers are revealed. Involving industrial waste in raw material circulation will reduce environmental pollution and improve the environment.

A composition of composite cement with the possibility of reducing the proportion of clinker to 15% by weight on aluminosilicate rocks has been developed. The object of the study is the production of composite cement using aluminosilicate rocks of the Kazakhstan deposits - Mynaral and Kuyuk. The patterns of thermal activation processes of polymineral clays and the compositions of the products of firing active mineral additives have been established. It has been established that the clay shale of the Mynaral deposit heat-treated at 900°C has the highest activity. The qualitative and quantitative phase composition of active mineral additives, the main physical and mechanical properties of the obtained composite cements have been studied and determined. It has been established that the best strength properties are possessed by composite cements with additives of 15% of clay shales fired at 800 - 900°C.

A structure of composite cement with 15 wt.% thermally activated clay shales has been developed. The phase composition and properties of aluminosilicate rocks of the Kazakhstan deposits—Mynaral and Kuyuk—have been studied. It has been shown that aluminosilicates are related to clay shales by their composition. The regularities of thermal activation processes of aluminosilicates have been established, and it has been shown that pozzolanic activity increases for all compositions with an increase in the heat treatment temperature from 700 to 900 °C. The clay shale of the Mynaral deposit is characterized by the highest activity. The physicomechanical properties of the obtained composite cements–including Portland cement clinker, gypsum, and thermally activated clay shale—have been studied. It has been shown that when replacing up to 15 wt.% Portland cement clinker with thermally activated clay shales, there is no decrease in the strength properties of the composite cement. The obtained results allow us to consider heat-treated clay shales as active mineral additives.

The modern trends in the development of cement process technologies include: high individual production line capacity reaching 12.000 tons of clinker per day, informatization, digitalization of production management, intellectualization of cement equipment operations, the use of artificial intelligence, widespread use of industrial waste, alternative fuels, energy-saving production processes, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The paper examines the possibilities of using industrial waste as raw materials for producing low-temperature clinkers and mineral additives in composite cements in order to reduce CO2 emissions. Low-energy compositions of raw mixtures for clinker production have been developed, which include coal mining waste, lead slag, tephrite-basalt, and clinker from the agglomeration of zinc ores. In these raw mixtures, waste replaces up to 20-25% of natural raw materials, allows clinker formation to complete at 1300–1350°C, increases kiln productivity, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by 15-20%. Burnt clay shales from the Betpakdala and Kuyuk deposits were studied as active mineral additives in composite cements to reduce the clinker component, reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, and improve the environmental situation. The processes of shale burning were studied, and the activity of mineral additives was determined depending on the heat treatment temperature. Composite cements with active mineral additives of up to 15% by weight were obtained.