Abstract: A description is given of a plant for heat treatment of lumpy material, such as limestone, other carbonate materials, cement raw materials, or the like. The plant comprises a preheating zone, a burning zone, and connecting means which connect the material outlet of the preheating zone to the material inlet of the burning zone. A separating device is provided as a part of the connecting means and consists of a duct through which a gas stream can be induced to flow from below and upwards. On entry into the separating duct at the top of the duct, the preheated material will be dispersed in the counterflowing gas stream, whereby the material is divided into a fine fraction which suspended in the gas can be discharged via the discharge means provided at the upper end of the duct, and a fall-through coarse fraction which is normal manner can be fed via a connecting means to the material inlet of the burning zone.