Slag Valorization Patents: Who Leads, Where the Gaps Are 2026
Slag valorization patents: who controls carbonation and aggregate claims, and where the field is still open
Concentrated at the top. The top 5 assignees hold 64.2% of all 106 records in scope, and the top 10 combined reach 75.5% — most of the field sits with a small group of filers. Filings peaked at 9 in 2017. The 2021-to-2024 window — the last span with enough time to be considered essentially complete — moved from 5 to 4, a -20% change. Years beyond 2024 are still under-counted because publication typically lags filing by around 18 months, so the apparent recent dip should not be read as a verdict on where the field is heading.
- 1YARA INTERNATIONAL ASA30
- 2CARBICRETE INC26
- 3POVAZSKA CEMENTAREN AS5
- 4TATA STEEL IJMUIDEN BV4
- 5JIANGSU NIGAO SCI & TECH3
See the full slag valorization and utilization analysis in Eureka
- The complete ranking, not just the top five
- Every IPC branch with its share of the corpus
- The most-cited records, and where claim space is still thin
Common questions about slag valorization patents
How concentrated is the slag valorization and utilization patent field?
It is fairly concentrated: the top 5 assignees hold 64.2% of all 106 records in scope, and the top 10 combined reach 75.5%. The leading single assignee holds 30 records, well ahead of fifth place at 3 and tenth place at 2. That gap means most freedom-to-operate work in the core carbonation and steel-slag-aggregate space centers on a small number of families rather than a broad competitive field.
Is patent filing activity in slag valorization growing or shrinking?
Filings peaked in 2017 at 9 and have since settled to a lower, steadier level; the 2021-to-2024 span — the most recent period considered essentially complete — shows a -20% change. Figures for 2025 and 2026 will rise as publications catch up, since publication typically lags actual filing by around 18 months. Treat the apparent recent decline as incomplete data rather than a real slowdown.
Which technology areas within slag utilization have the most patent coverage?
Cement and construction applications dominate: the C04B subclass (ceramics, cement & refractories) covers 90.6% of the 106 records in scope. Roads and pavements (E01C) and mortar/concrete mixing (B28C) are meaningful secondary areas at 9.4% and 7.5% respectively. Agrochemical uses and structural building components each sit under 5%, marking those as comparatively under-claimed relative to the cement-replacement core.
Disclaimer. This analysis is based on Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent records and is provided for general information and reference only. Patent data carries inherent limitations — recent filings are under-counted because of publication lag, counts may be on a record or family basis, classification and applicant-name data may contain errors or duplicates, and the underlying search query defines the scope shown — so the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing here is an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Verify independently and review with qualified patent and legal professionals before acting on it.
Method: Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Slag Valorization and Utilization covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish. Every share divides by all records in scope. Data: Patsnap Eureka. See the full landscape report.