Economy & Market

Supreme Court reserves order in Lafarge case

Published

14 years ago

May 31, 2011

admin

The Supreme Court has reserved its order over the contentious issue of resumption of mining operations by French cement giant, Lafarge, in Meghalaya to supply the limestone to its $255-million cement plant in Bangladesh. A special bench comprising Chief Justice SH Kapadia, Justice Aftab Alam and Justice KS Radhakrishnan concluded the hearing in the case. It heard the arguments on behalf of the Centre, the company Lafarge and local residents, Shella Action Committee. The Bench has also given the liberty to all the parties involved in the case to file additional written submissions by Friday. The judgement of the Bench will decide the fate of LUMPL, involved in extraction of limestone in Meghalaya which was used for manufacturing cement at the LSC project in Bangladesh. It is noteworthy to mention that LSC has been fully dependent on the supply of limestone from LUMPL for its operations. The operations by LUMPL and LSC were challenged by an application filed by Shella Action Committee, a registered voluntary agency of tribal people, alleging that Lafarge had obtained environmental clearance by misrepresenting to the Government of India, the land for mining which is 116 acres of thick forest land, to be a ‘wasteland and non-forest area consisting mainly of barren land, and rocks’. The court later restrained LUMPL from continuing limestone mining in the villages – Nongtrai and Shella in Meghalaya and supplying the same to the LSC project at Chhatak, Sunamganj, in Bangladesh. During the course of the hearing in the case, the court questioned Lafarge counsel and former attorney general Soli J Sorabjee. He said that the company was not aware of fact that project site falls within the forest area. To which the apex court firmly replied that the project was in the core of the tropical deciduous forest of that area.

Concrete

thyssenkrupp Polysius, SaltX partner for electrified production

Published

1 day ago

March 12, 2025

admin

thyssenkrupp Polysius and Swedish startup SaltX have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to co-develop the next generation of electrified production facilities, advancing industrial decarbonisation. Their collaboration will integrate SaltX’s patented Electric Arc Calciner (EAC) technology into thyssenkrupp Polysius’ green system solutions, enabling electric calcination, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy, and capturing CO2 for emission-free production. Dr Luc Rudowski, Head of Innovation, thyssenkrupp Polysius, emphasised that this partnership expands their portfolio of sustainable solutions, particularly in cement, lime, and Direct-Air-Capture (DAC). Lina Jorheden, CEO, SaltX, highlighted the significant CO2 reduction potential, reinforcing their commitment to sustainable industrial processes.

Concrete

Terra CO2 secures $82m to scale low-carbon cement technology

Published

1 day ago

March 12, 2025

admin

Terra CO2, a US-based sustainable building materials company, has raised $82 million in Series B funding, co-led by Just Climate, Eagle Materials and GenZero, with continued support from Breakthrough Energy Ventures. The investment will accelerate the commercial deployment of Terra’s OPUS technology, enabling the construction of multiple production facilities across North America and Europe. With the cement industry responsible for 8 per cent of global CO2 emissions, Terra’s solution provides an immediate, scalable alternative using abundant raw materials that integrate seamlessly with existing infrastructure. The company has secured key partnerships, including a deal with Eagle Materials for multiple 240,000-tonne plants.

Concrete

Titan Cement Group enters South Asia

Published

1 day ago

March 12, 2025

Roshna

Titan Cement Group has expanded into the South Asian market through a joint venture with JAYCEE, an India-based producer of supplementary cementitious materials. Titan will hold a majority stake in the newly formed company, Atlas EcoSolutions, which will focus on sourcing, processing, marketing, and distributing SCMs globally. This initiative aims to support sustainable construction by promoting alternatives to clinker-based cement. Jean-Philippe Benard, Head of Supply Chain and Energy Development, emphasised that the venture aligns with Titan’s strategy to lead in low-carbon building materials while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and innovation. The move strengthens Titan’s position in a high-growth market while ensuring long-term access to SCMs.