A dry cement mixture comprises Portland cement and an ultra-fine component consisting of at least one ultra-fine additive, said ultra-fine component being a hydraulic binder, wherein Portland cement is present in an amount of at least 70 wt % of the mixture and the ultra-fine component is present in an amount of at least 5 wt % of the mixture, wherein the ultra-fine component has a particle size distribution characterized by a particle diameter D.sub.10 of between 0.5 m and 2 m and a particle diameter D.sub.90 of between 2 m and 8 m.

The present invention relates to the use of grinding aids comprising Aluminum sulfate, Alum, and/or Na salt, K salt, or Li salt of a hydroxycarboxylic acid, wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid comprises citric, lactic, glycolic, tartaric, acetic, or malic acid, for producing Ground Activated Cementitious Precursor Material (GACPM) by co-grinding with granulated slag, such as a steel industry waste, Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS), and the products provided therefrom. The use of the one or more grinding aids reduces the grinding time by about 10-33%, improves particle fineness by about 10-33%, and/or reduces carbon emissions (CO.sub.2) associated with such processes by about 10-33%, thereby significantly enhancing efficiency. Additionally, it improves particle morphology and activates amorphous glass particles in the GACPM (compared to conventional Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS), increasing their reactivity with alkali activators in geopolymer cements or with calcium hydroxide when used with Portland cement applications. This activation, due to use of GACPM instead of GGBFS, leads to compressive strength gains of about 5-33% in activated geopolymer cement mortar/grout/concrete and about 5-33% in Portland GACPM cement blends, all while significantly reducing energy usage, costs, and carbon emissions.

The present invention relates to the use of grinding aids comprising Aluminum sulfate, Alum, and/or Na salt, K salt, or Li salt of a hydroxycarboxylic acid, wherein the hydroxycarboxylic acid comprises citric, lactic, glycolic, tartaric, acetic, or malic acid, for producing Ground Activated Cementitious Precursor Material (GACPM) by co-grinding with granulated slag, such as a steel industry waste, Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBFS), and the products provided therefrom. The use of the one or more grinding aids reduces the grinding time by about 10-33%, improves particle fineness by about 10-33%, and/or reduces carbon emissions (CO.sub.2) associated with such processes by about 10-33%, thereby significantly enhancing efficiency. Additionally, it improves particle morphology and activates amorphous glass particles in the GACPM (compared to conventional Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS), increasing their reactivity with alkali activators in geopolymer cements or with calcium hydroxide when used with Portland cement applications. This activation, due to use of GACPM instead of GGBFS, leads to compressive strength gains of about 5-33% in activated geopolymer cement mortar/grout/concrete and about 5-33% in Portland GACPM cement blends, all while significantly reducing energy usage, costs, and carbon emissions.