Can Green360’s Eco-Clay Disrupt Cement Industry Amid Supply Challenges?

A Verified Low-Carbon Innovation

Green360 Technologies Limited (ASX – GT3) has announced a pivotal milestone with its Eco-Clay product, a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) independently verified by the University of Melbourne. Eco-Clay meets the stringent requirements of Australian Standard AS 3582.4 – 2022 and the US ASTM C618, confirming its suitability as a Grade 1 pozzolan. This validation places Eco-Clay on par with, or even ahead of, international metakaolin products in terms of reactivity and strength.

Eco-Clay’s production involves calcining kaolin by-products, specifically tailings and settlement pond residues, at around 750 degrees Celsius to create metakaolin, a highly reactive material that can substitute up to 40% of Portland cement in concrete mixes. This substitution promises substantial reductions in embodied carbon, addressing a critical environmental challenge in the construction sector.

Circular Economy Meets Cost Efficiency

What sets Eco-Clay apart is its origin from Green360’s own kaolin refining waste streams, transforming what was previously an environmental liability into a valuable construction input. This circular economy approach not only reduces waste and environmental risks associated with tailings but also offers a significant cost advantage over traditional metakaolins, which are often imported or produced from virgin materials.

By leveraging existing by-products, Green360 can produce Eco-Clay at a marginal cost, enabling premium margins and scalability. This positions the company as a potentially dominant player in the low-carbon cement space, especially given the growing demand for sustainable building materials.

Market Potential and Strategic Outlook

The cement industry is responsible for roughly 8% of global CO₂ emissions, making decarbonisation a top priority. Australia’s cement market alone exceeds 10 million tonnes annually, representing a $3.5 billion opportunity for supplementary cementitious materials like Eco-Clay. Traditional SCMs such as fly ash and slag face supply constraints due to the closure of coal-fired power plants and increasing regulatory scrutiny on imported materials.

Green360 is advancing commercial agreements with toll treating facilities to scale production and has initiated market trials with major concrete producers. The company aims to deploy Eco-Clay across precast, ready-mix, and other concrete applications, aligning with global ESG mandates and net-zero construction initiatives.

Leadership Perspective

Executive Chairman Aaron Banks highlighted Eco-Clay as a flagship example of Green360’s commitment to practical circular economy innovation. He emphasized the product’s compliance with top-tier standards, superior performance, and cost advantages derived from its unique production process. Banks underscored the company’s first-mover advantage and structural cost benefits as key differentiators in the competitive landscape.

Looking ahead, Green360’s focus will be on securing commercial-scale supply agreements, expanding market trials, and engaging with industry and government stakeholders to support Australia’s transition to low-carbon construction.