The Variations of Magnetic Susceptibility Values in Raw Mix I during the Cement Production Process

Abstract

Cement is an essential material widely used in construction, including bridges and buildings. The main raw materials for cement production consist of limestone (CaO) (±80%), silica sand (SiO₂) (±10%), clay (Al₂O₃) (±8%), and iron sand (Fe₂O₃) (±2%). During the cement production process, homogenization and quality control of raw materials occur at the Raw Mix I stage. However, current quality control systems generally do not consider magnetic mineral standards, even though iron sand as one of the raw materials contains magnetic minerals. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the variation of magnetic susceptibility values in Raw Mix I during the cement production process. A quantitative research design was employed, using a descriptive-analytical approach. Samples were collected hourly and measured using a Bartington Magnetic Susceptibility Meter MS2B at two different frequencies to obtain magnetic susceptibility and frequency-dependent susceptibility (χFD%). The data were analyzed statistically by calculating the mean and standard deviation. The results show that the magnetic susceptibility values of Raw Mix I range from 102.87 × 10⁻⁸ m³/kg to 165.93 × 10⁻⁸ m³/kg, with an average value of χ = (134.4 ± (3 × 31.53)) × 10⁻⁸ m³/kg. Meanwhile, χFD% ranges from 0–2.9%, indicating a very low content of superparamagnetic grains. These findings provide additional information on magnetic mineral characteristics and may support improved quality control in cement raw material processing.