The present invention provides carbonaceous fuels and processes for making them. Moreover, the invention also relates to processes using the carbonaceous fuels in the production of
cement products. One embodiment of the invention is a carbonaceous fuel comprising (a) unconverted fines of a carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock having an ash content of greater than 1%, the fines having an average particle size less than about 45 μm; and (b) a
char residue formed by catalytic gasification of the carbonaceous feedstock, the
char residue having an ash content of greater than about 30%, wherein the ash includes at least one aluminum-containing compound or
silicon-containing compound; and having a weight ratio of fines to
char residue in the range of about 4:1 to about 1:4, and a total
dry basis wt % of carbon of least about 40%. Another embodiment of the invention is a process of making a
cement product comprising: (a) providing a carbonaceous fuel as described above; (b) passing the carbonaceous fuel into a
cement-making zone; and (c) at least partially combusting the carbonaceous fuel to provide heat for a cement producing reaction within the cement-making zone.