Cement clinker is a vital intermediary product in the production of Portland cement. It is formed through the high-temperature process of sintering, where raw materials are heated until they partially fuse into solid nodules without reaching a fully molten state.
The production occurs within a cement kiln, where limestone and aluminosilicate materials like clay are processed. The resulting clinker typically appears as small, hard lumps ranging from 3 to 25 millimetres in diameter. These nodules are later ground into a fine powder and mixed with gypsum to create the final cement product.