Feasibility of clays in Nepal for use inLimestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC 3 )CONTEXT
About half of the cement consumed in Nepal is Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC) whereas, Ordinary
Portland Cement (OPC) accounts for 40% of consumption and is used in building construction anddeveloping infrastructure like roads and bridges. On one hand, cement is the most used industrial
commodity required for infrastructure development, but on the other hand, it is also responsible forhigh GHG emissions. Cement production is a continuous process. It requires an uninterrupted power
supply, making it a highly energy-intensive industry with a regular supply of high-quality coal as fuel.
The cost of coal (used for clinker units) in Nepal ranged from around $75 to $90 per metric ton(2021), depending on the grade and location, also there is usually no fly ash available within thecountry. Most of the fly ash required to produce PPC (280kg fly ash per ton of PPC) is supplied from
India. The landing cost of fly ash in Nepal ranged from around $30 to $45 per metric ton (2021),depending on the grade and location. Importing fly ash and coal to produce cement to meet thegrowing economy's demands is significant. The foreign exchange against the import is very
expensive to the economy. According to Nepal’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)
announced in 2020, the country has announced adopting low-emission technologies in the cement
sector to reduce coal consumption and air pollution, including thorough development and/orenactment of emission standards.

OBJECTIVES
The project aims to prepare an inventory of available clay occurrences and their reserve potential
based on field survey data for Nepal while establishing an integrated GIS-based map on theavailability of clays and raw materials as a public decision support tool for investing in LC³technology. The project will be initiated through a synergy between the Department of Mines &Geology, Govt. of Nepal and the Nepal Cement Manufacturing Association (NCMA) to conduct
extensive field surveys. Subsequently, raw materials will be scientifically tested and analysed fortheir feasibility in applications of LC³. The project will review applicable standards for existing
cement blends and suggest modifications required to obtain approval of the LC³ cement standard inNepal. Overall it will enhance capacity, build an ecosystem to promote active stakeholder
participation in the LC³ technology.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
Raw material suitable and available in Nepal for LC³ technology.
GIS map on clay availability.
Potential reserve of clays estimated.
Economics of LC3 production based on clay availability.
Market potential in Nepal for LC³ production proven.
Recommendation Report for Nepal LC3 Standards.

IMPACT
24% cheaper to produce LC³ as compared to PPC
Lower production cost of LC³ compared to PPC and OPC
Savings USD 123 million per year in foreign exchange against the import of fly ash
Saving USD 144 million per year in foreign exchange against coal imports.
Create up to 3,000 local skilled and un-skilled jobs in the organised sector
Catalyse USD 320 million investment by the private sector

PROJECT AT A GLANCE
Project Name :LC3 Cement Feasibility Study
Duration :Sep 2023 - Dec 2024
Supported by :Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal
Partners :Department of Geology and Mines,
Nepal.
Society for Technology and Action for
Rural Advancement.
Nepal Cement Manufacturers’Association.
Goal :The main goal of the LC³ project is toposition LC³ as a low-carbon, general-use
cement in the Nepal cement market byestablishing the feasibility of clays for LC³
applications in Nepal.

WHAT IS LC3 ?
Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC³) technology is a family of composite cement containing
Portland clinker, calcined clay and low-grade limestone. As LC³ cement uses raw materials andtechnologies already commonly used in cement production, they provide a practically viablesolution. Additionally, the fact that LC³ can be used the same way as ordinary cement is an
excellent prerequisite for its smooth market introduction on the consumer side. The LC3technology is quite promising from cost, energy, and environmental perspectives.

Secondary literature survey and reports suggest that there are already several clay deposits near to thecement plants which have been unexplored so far.

The Society for Technology & Action for Rural Advancement (TARA) is a social enterprise of the Development Alternatives Group, set up inyear 1985 at New Delhi, India. TARA’s vision is to develop “scalable solutions for people and the planet”. As an ‘incubation engine’, TARA'sorganisational objectives have been defined around impact in the areas of Employability, Entrepreneurship, Clean Technology, Basic Needs,
Natural Resource Management and Institutional Strengthening. TARA has spearheaded technological and social interventions for the last
four decades to provide sustainable development solutions. One of TARA’s major interventions has been in the construction sector, which isresponsible for a large part of any nation’s carbon emissions and resource consumption. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation(SDC), in association with the Indian Institute of Technology at Delhi and Madras and TARA, has developed a breakthrough technology toproduce a new kind of cement widely known as Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC³). This cement will significantly reduce carbon emissions
by giving better strength simultaneously. The TARA team, has been working with several established national and international cement
manufacturers to accelerate the adoption of this breakthrough innovation in their existing plants.

CONTACT US
dbasuroy@devalt.org, smaity@devalt.org

B-32, Tara Crescent, Qutub Institutional Area,
New Delhi, India

Embassy of Switzerland
in Nepal

Department of Minesand Geology, Nepal

Nepal Cement
Manufacturers’Association

Society for Technologyand Action for Rural
Advancement