State and perspectives of sustainable production of traditional silicate ceramics

The traditional ceramics industry uses large amounts of primary mineral raw materials. Improvements in the production of building materials based on non-metallic minerals can contribute to sustainable development in many ways, such as saving natural resources, using waste materials, reducing energy consumption, decreasing emissions hazardous to the health and the environment, particularly carbon dioxide, and reclamation of mines after exploitation of raw materials, etc. This paper describes the state of application of mineral raw materials and waste in the traditional ceramics industry with a perspective on future challenges. Intensified research is needed to complement the laboratory data and re-scale to the industrial-sized products while improving communication between both sectors.