Abstract: A high capacity shaft kiln, which includes a plurality of vertical kiln shafts, a common heating unit and a cooling unit attached to the common heating unit. Each of the plurality of vertical kiln shafts are sized and configured to receive a source of material, which descends from an upper end thereof to a lower end thereof, and wherein each of the plurality of vertical kiln shafts has an inlet, which is sized and configured to receive a fuel source from a distribution device. The common heating unit is sized and configured to receive the source of material from the lower end of each of the plurality of vertical kiln shafts.