Closing the loop: industrial recycling of high-alumina refractories in the Mexican glass industry.

This session will present the industrial development of high-recycled refractory materials within the Mexican glass industry. Refractarios Especiales León, founded by a chemical engineer from ESIQIE-IPN to support the Mexican glass industry, has long explored practical ways to incorporate recycled refractory materials into industrial production. In 2020, global uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic and limited raw-material inventories accelerated efforts to recycle production returns directly into new refractory pieces. Unlike common industry practice, where recycled refractories are typically downgraded into secondary materials, this project explores the reuse of refractory returns in high-performance products. The discussion will address the milling strategy, the environmental implications, and the ongoing industrial trials that are paving the way toward broader technical validation.

In a discussion moderated by Dr. Heberto Balmori-Ramírez, Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), ESIQIE – Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering