Green360 Technologies has launched MKX Ultra Fine, a new metakaolin product designed to substitute silica fume in high-strength concrete, addressing critical supply constraints in supplementary cementitious materials.
- MKX Ultra Fine matches silica fume strength in testing
- Product produced commercially and trialed by major suppliers
- Expands MKX platform targeting fly ash, slag, silica fume replacements
- Non-binding MOU with Holcim for MKX Calcined Clay supply
- Concrete industry SCM supply shrinking due to industry transitions
MKX Ultra Fine Targets Silica Fume Shortage
Green360 Technologies (ASX:GT3) has taken a significant step in the battle against the concrete industry's looming supply crunch with the launch of MKX Ultra Fine (MKX UF). This new metakaolin product aims to replace silica fume, a scarce and costly supplementary cementitious material (SCM) essential for high-strength concrete used in critical infrastructure.
Independent testing by the University of Melbourne confirmed MKX UF delivers comparable 28-day concrete strength to silica fume on a 1:1 replacement basis, including achieving the 24-hour strength benchmarks crucial for precast manufacturing. The product is already being produced at commercial scale and is undergoing trials with major concrete suppliers, signalling a rapid transition from development to market readiness.
Expanding the MKX SCM Platform Amid Industry Shifts
MKX Ultra Fine complements Green360's existing MKX Calcined Clay (MKX CC), which targets replacement of fly ash and slag, two other SCMs facing supply shortages as coal-fired power stations retire and steelmaking shifts to cleaner technologies. The company’s strategic focus on purpose-made metakaolin offers a scalable, reliable alternative to these disappearing industrial by-products that have underpinned concrete durability for decades.
Green360 has secured a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Holcim Australia for the supply of up to 4,800 tonnes per annum of MKX CC, with a binding contract expected shortly. This follows a series of milestones including a toll treatment agreement with Calix Limited for commercial calcination capacity and multiple commercial production runs totaling over 600 tonnes distributed for field validation in Victoria.
Strategic Importance of SCMs in Concrete Quality
Executive Chairman Aaron Banks highlighted the critical role SCMs play beyond carbon reduction: enhancing strength, reducing cracking, lowering permeability, and extending the lifespan of concrete exposed to harsh environments. With traditional SCMs becoming scarce, the concrete industry faces rising costs and potential compromises in infrastructure quality and resilience.
Unlike fly ash, slag, and silica fume, which are by-products of other industries, MKX products are purpose-made to meet these challenges. The company’s low-energy calcination process at its Pittong, Victoria operations offers a lower carbon footprint compared to traditional Portland cement manufacture, aligning with broader decarbonisation goals.
Upcoming Milestones and Market Potential
Green360 plans to update the market in the second half of 2026 on finalising the Holcim supply agreement, securing additional contracts with Victorian concrete suppliers, and completing studies on expanding calcining capacity at Pittong. The company’s swift progression from product development to commercial supply within months underscores the depth of market demand for locally produced, low-carbon SCM alternatives.
While the MKX Ultra Fine’s commercial trials and supply agreements are promising, the broader concrete industry’s ability to adapt to SCM shortages will be closely watched as infrastructure demands grow and traditional supply chains contract.
Bottom Line?
Green360’s MKX Ultra Fine emerges as a timely solution to critical SCM shortages, but commercial adoption and contract finalisations will be key to validating its market impact.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Green360 secure binding supply agreements beyond Holcim for MKX products?
- How will major concrete producers respond to metakaolin replacing traditional SCMs?
- Can Green360 scale calcination capacity rapidly enough to meet growing demand?