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Story: Rock, limestone and clay

Tarakohe cement works

Image
Tarakohe cement works

Taken in 1948, this photograph shows the huge rotary kiln (the horizontal pipe leading to the chimney stack) used to bake the lime slurry as part of the cement-making process. Cement is a finely ground, grey mineral powder made of two main materials, lime and clay. When water is added it acts as a glue, and when mixed with sand and aggregate it forms concrete – the most widely used construction material in the world.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Tourist and Publicity Department Collection

Reference: 1/2-034181; F

by W. Walker

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Rock, limestone and clay – Cement, marble and dolomite, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/5229/tarakohe-cement-works (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 2 March 2009.