Abstract: A method of manufacturing a granular building material from refuse. Cylindrical granules, having a diameter of 8 mm and a length from 10 to 20 mm, are formed by granulation under a pressure of 600 bar of a homogeneous first powder mixture of 952 kg of crushed household refuse, 50 kg of quicklime and 5 kg of calcium carbonate. The granules are heated at 200.degree. C. for 30 minutes in a rotary tubular kiln so as to obtain 720 kg of granules having a moisture content of about 1% by weight. These granules are finely crushed and, in a malaxator, a second powder mixture is prepared which is composed of a mixture of 101 kg of Portland cement, 101 kg of powdered dolomite, 91 kg of calcium carbonate and 50.5 kg of water, and the fine powder resulting from the crushing of the granules. Finally, the second mixture is granulated under a pressure of 600 bar and the granules are left to harden with the setting of the cement. The final granular building material may be employed as granulate for making concrete.

Abstract: A novel method for manufacturing cement utilizing crushed refuse. The method comprises a first step of preparing a homogeneous powder mixture from a majority of crushed refuse substantially free of metal constituents and a minority of at least one first mineral material containing calcium oxide in the free or combined state. In a second step, the powder mixture is granulated under pressure. A third step comprises heat treating the granules at a temperature between 130.degree. C. and 230.degree. C. for a length of time sufficient to bring the water content of the granules to between about 0.1 and 1.0% by weight. The third step produces a refuse product. A fourth step comprises mixing the refuse product with a first starting mixture and firing the resulting clinker mixture in a kiln, producing a clinker. In the last step, gypsum is added to the clinker and the resulting cement mixture is crushed.