ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS FOR PRODUCING CEMENT

1 . A method for producing cement using electrolysis, the method comprising:

via an electric current, performing an electrolysis process in a vessel containing a melted oxide material;

collecting calcium oxide resulting from the electrolysis process; and

mixing the calcium oxide with silica and alumina to produce the cement.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxide material is anorthosite.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the electrolysis process separates the anorthosite into oxygen, aluminum silicate, and the calcium oxide.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

separately collecting the oxygen, the aluminum silicate, and the calcium oxide into respective containers, wherein the mixing of the calcium oxide with the silica and the alumina comprises:

measuring a quantity of the calcium oxide with respect to quantities of the silica and the alumina; and

mixing together particular portions of each of the calcium oxide, the silica, and the alumina to produce the cement.

5 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

before performing the electrolysis process, beneficiating lunar regolith or ore to produce the anorthosite.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

before performing the electrolysis process, melting lunar regolith;

performing a molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) process on the melted lunar regolith to separate iron and oxygen from the melted lunar regolith to produce an iron-depleted melt;

separately collecting the iron, the oxygen, and the iron-depleted melt; and

placing the iron-depleted melt into the vessel for the electrolysis process.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the iron-depleted melt comprises the anorthosite.

8 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

combining the iron with the oxygen to produce iron oxide; and

combining the iron oxide with the calcium oxide, the silica, and alumina to produce the cement.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the calcium oxide, the silica, and the alumina from the vessel;

cooling the calcium oxide, the silica, and the alumina; and

pulverizing the calcium oxide, the silica, and the alumina to produce the cement.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

collecting impurities from the vessel; and

adding the impurities to the cement to form a mixture of cement and aggregate.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the silica and alumina are in the form of aluminum silicate.

12 . A method for producing cement, the method comprising:

electrolyzing melted anorthosite;

collecting i) oxygen from an anode of an electrolysis cell, ii) aluminum silicate from a cathode of the electrolysis cell, and iii) calcium oxide from the electrolysis cell; and

cooling, mixing together, and pulverizing the aluminum silicate and the calcium oxide to produce a hydrophilic cement powder.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein electrolyzing the melted anorthosite separates the anorthosite into the oxygen, the aluminum silicate, and the calcium oxide.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

before electrolyzing the melted anorthosite, beneficiating lunar regolith to produce the anorthosite, wherein the anorthosite has a purity greater than about 80%.

15 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

before electrolyzing the melted anorthosite, melting lunar regolith;

performing molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) on the melted lunar regolith to at least partially remove iron and oxygen from the melted lunar regolith to produce an iron-depleted melt, wherein the iron-depleted melt comprises the anorthosite.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

combining the iron with oxygen from a storage vessel to produce iron oxide; and

combing the iron oxide with the calcium oxide and the aluminum silicate, wherein the hydrophilic cement powder is a portland cement that includes the calcium oxide, silica, alumina, magnesia, and the iron oxide.

17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

collecting impurities from the electrolysis cell; and

adding the impurities to the hydrophilic cement powder to form a mixture of cement and aggregate.

18 . A method for producing cement, the method comprising:

melting lunar regolith;

performing molten oxide electrolysis (MOE) on the melted lunar regolith to at least partially remove iron from the melted lunar regolith and to produce an iron-depleted melt that comprises anorthosite;

electrolyzing the anorthosite to separate aluminum silicate and calcium oxide from the anorthosite; and

cooling, mixing together, and pulverizing the aluminum silicate and the calcium oxide to produce a cement powder.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

before performing the MOE, beneficiating the lunar regolith to increase a concentration of the anorthosite in the lunar regolith.

20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

collecting impurities from the iron-depleted melt; and

adding the impurities to the cement powder to form a mixture of cement and aggregate.