Oil Shale Industry - Other Industrial Uses

Other Industrial Uses

Oil shale is used for cement production by Kunda Nordic Cement in Estonia, by Holcim in Germany, and by Fushun cement factory in China. Oil shale can also be used for production of different chemical products, construction materials, and pharmaceutical products. However, use of oil shale for production of these products is still very rare and in experimental stages only.

Some oil shales are suitable source for sulfur, ammonia, alumina, soda ash, and nahcolite which occur as shale oil extraction byproducts. Some oil shales can also be used for uranium and other rare chemical element production. During 1946–1952, a marine variety of Dictyonema shale was used for uranium production in Sillamäe, Estonia, and during 1950–1989 alum shale was used in Sweden for the same purpose. Oil shale gas can also be used as a substitute for natural gas. After World War II, Estonian-produced oil shale gas was used in Leningrad and the cities in North Estonia. However, at the current price level of natural gas, this is not economically feasible.