Addressing Europe’s Circularity Gap: CO₂-Mineralised Materials for Low-Carbon Construction

A recent Eurostat update shows that only 12.2% of materials used across the EU in 2024 came from recycling, highlighting a persistent dependency on virgin resources in key industrial sectors. For energy-intensive industries such as cement production, this circularity gap poses a significant challenge to meeting Europe’s decarbonisation targets.

Process-inherent CO₂ emissions remain unavoidable in cement manufacturing, where the calcination of limestone continues to release large quantities of CO₂. At the same time, the sector faces an emerging shortage of blast furnace slag, currently one of the most important clinker substitutes. As the steel industry transitions to hydrogen-based DRI-EAF production, this by-product will become increasingly scarce, leaving the cement sector urgently needing new, sustainable alternatives.

The Carbon4Minerals project addresses this dual challenge by converting industrial CO₂ and secondary mineral residues into CO₂-mineralised intermediates for low-carbon construction applications. By replacing a share of Portland clinker and reducing the demand for virgin raw materials, these mineralised products directly strengthen the EU’s circular material use rate.

Carbon4Minerals’ approach provides a crucial climate benefit: CO₂ is permanently bound in stable carbonate form, turning an emission source into a valuable input for construction. With eight industrial pilots spanning CO₂ capture, mineralisation, cement production and construction products, the project demonstrates how circular mineral solutions can operate at scale.

As the EU advances toward its 2030 and 2050 objectives, improving circular mineral flows will be essential. Carbon4Minerals delivers a practical pathway, reducing emissions, substituting clinker, and supporting Europe’s shift away from virgin resource dependency.