Abstract: Cement clinker is produced using high sulfur fuels by combusting high sulfur fuel within a kiln. The feed material is introduced at an inlet of the kiln and is sintered by the combusting fuel to form sintered material. The sintered material is cooled to form cement clinker. The production of the sintered material is controlled by measuring the sulfur content in the cement clinker and using that measurement to control the concentration of oxygen at the inlet of the kiln.

Abstract: The invention relates to the cooling of red-hot molten blast furnace slag. In this case in order that a substantial proportion of the heat content of the red-hot molten blast furnace slag can be recovered this is introduced together with coal or fuel containing substantially coal into a reactor in which the blast furnace slag is cooled by utilising the heat content of this slag and with the aid of supplied steam to gasify the coal to form a fuel gas, particularly water gas or blue gas containing CO and H.sub.2, which is drawn off separately from the cooled quantity of solids.