Natural cements are formed by calcining a naturally occurring mixture of calcareous and argillaceous substances at a temperature below that at which sintering takes place. The Specification for Natural Cement, ASTM C10, requires that the temperature be no higher than necessary to drive off the carbonic acid gas. Since natural cements are derived from naturally occurring materials and no particular effort is made to adjust the composition, both the composition and properties vary rather widely. Some natural cements may be almost the equivalent of portland cement in properties; others are much weaker. Natural cements are principally used in masonry mortars and as an admixture in portland-cement concretes.
