The origin and development of natural cements: The Spanish experience

Abstract

Natural cement first appeared in England in 1796. Industrial production did not begin in Spain until the second half of the 19th century. Small scale production of natural cement started in different parts of the north and northeast of the country (the Basque Country and Catalonia) toward the end of the first half of the 19th century. This non-industrial manufacture took advantage of the infrastructure that existed at the time for the production of lime. Later industrial manufacture required important technological and logistical improvements. With the advent of large-scale production, the manufacture of natural cement became specialised, producing different cements with specific properties to satisfy different needs.