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Cement and steel making doesn't just burn fuel, CO₂ is also released as part of the process. That’s why industrial decarbonisation is so hard, and why a “just electrify it” slogan falls short once you get into kilns, furnaces, and process emissions. We’re joined by Phil Hodgson, Managing Director and CEO of Calix Limited, to break down an Australian-developed platform technology designed to change the way heavy industry heats and processes materials.

We talk through Calix’s core technology: an externally heated steel tube kiln that keeps combustion and process gases separate. For cement and lime, that matters because limestone is nearly half CO₂ by weight. By preventing gases from mixing, Leilac Technology can deliver a relatively pure CO₂ stream, making carbon capture simpler and helping chart a path to low emissions cement. Phil also explains why hybrid heating is central to commercial adoption, switching between renewable electricity, conventional fuels, or waste fuels to stay cost-effective even where carbon pricing and policy support are not available.

From there we dig into real-world strategy: the restructure of the PLS lithium midstream joint venture toward a capital-light licensing model, the major joint development agreement with Adani Group’s Ambuja Cements, and what India’s rapid cement expansion could unlock across Asia. We also look beyond cement to green iron and steel using hydrogen (Zesty), alumina progress with Norsk Hydro, and how Calix’s magnesia water treatment business helps fund broader growth.

If you care about climate technology, clean industry, carbon capture, electrified kilns, and how ASX-listed innovators try to scale in tough markets, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to ASX Briefs, share the episode with a mate in resources or climate, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.