Japan/Australia: Mitsubishi UBE Cement Corporation (MUCC) has invested US$5m in MCi Carbon, becoming the fourth major Japanese investor alongside ITOCHU Corporation, Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. The partnership includes a collaboration agreement focusing on mineral carbonation technology and a three-way memorandum of understanding with ITOCHU Corporation.

MUCC will use MCi's technology to decarbonise cement production in Japan through CO₂ emissions abatement and development of low-carbon materials. The investment supports the commissioning of MCi's 'Myrtle' mineral carbonation demonstration plant in Australia.

MCi Carbon’s mineral carbonation process combines captured CO2 with a mineral feedstock, including industrial wastes like steel slag, mine tailings or raw quarried minerals, to produce magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate and amorphous silica. Third parties can then use these materials to make cement, concrete, wallboard, papers, glass and other industrial products.

UK: Construction firm Skanska is using 3000 planks of precast concrete made with 50% ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) for the upcoming 105 Victoria Street commercial development in Westminster, dubbed ‘London’s most sustainable office building.’ Engineering firm Laing O’Rourke will design and produce the planks at its Worksop, Nottinghamshire, concrete plant. Construction Management Magazine News has reported that the 105 Victoria Street building will include 2000m² of green space and terraces.

India: A study at the DPG Institute of Technology and Management in Gurugram has investigated the effects of blending different concentrations of silica fumes to ground granulated blast furnace slag-based (GGBFS) geopolymer concrete. Findings reported in the Nature concluded that the addition of 10% silica fumes ‘significantly’ enhanced the durability and strength of the resulting concrete.

Canada: CarbiCrete has obtained the first Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its cement-free concrete masonry units (CMUs). The products have specific CO₂ emissions of 11.7kg/m³ for the CMUs, 94% below the industry norm of 200kg/m³. FinancialWire News has reported that CarbiCrete’s recipe for the CMUs replaces cement with steel by-products, while also sequestering CO₂.

Concrete products company Canal Block is set to commence production of CarbiCrete CMUs at its Port Colborne plant in Ontario in early 2025.