Abstract: Portland cement has hitherto been produced from finely ground raw meal with a residue on the 80 micron sieve of 10-20%, corresponding to a grain size ratio of 0.01-80 micron grains to 80.01-500 micron grains in the raw meal of 9:1 to 4:1. With the novel process, it should be possible to use coarse-ground raw meal. The process involves roasting the raw meal in which the grain size ratio in the basic raw meal components of the 0.01-80 micron grains to the 80.01-2000 micron grains is 1.5:1 to 1:9. The acidic raw meal components with a melting temperature of no higher than 1,300 C. are ground to the same grain size ratio. Also described are devices and processes for grinding and roasting raw meal. The advantages of the invention are reduced energy consumption during grinding of the raw meal, improved throughput of material through ovens and mills and improved cement characteristics.