Purpose　The　purposes　of　this　study　were　to　quantify　the　resource　consumption　intensity　of　cement　clinker　production　using　natural　mineral　in　China　and　to　determine　the　influence　of　the　utilization　of　calcium　carbide　sludge　(CCS)　for　cement　clinker　production　on　the　resource-accounting　result.　Methods　Exergy-based　resource　accounting　method　was　adopted　by　this　study.　Cumulative　exergy　demand　(CExD)　was　used　to　characterize　the　resource　consumption　intensity　of　cement　clinker　production　using　natural　mineral　in　China.　Exergy-based　characterization　factors　of　land　resource　and　CO(2)emission　were　employed　to　determine　the　resource　benefit　brought　by　the　substitution　of　CCS　for　natural　limestone　(land　saving　and　CO(2)reduction).　Results　and　discussion　The　CExD　value　of　cement　clinker　production　using　natural　mineral　as　raw　material　in　China　is　5005　MJ/t,　and　the　consumption　of　raw　coal　is　the　largest　contributor　to　this　result,　accounting　for　approximately　81%　of　the　CExD　value.　The　phenomenon　that　coal　consumption　dominates　the　CExD　result　may　be　because,　through　combustion　reactions,　the　chemical　state　of　carbon　contained　in　coal　almost　reaches　equilibrium　with　its　chemical　dead　state　in　terms　of　exergy　and　is　deeply　dissipated;　in　comparison,　the　major　chemical　compound　contained　in　limestone,　i.e.,　calcium　oxide,　is　mostly　transformed　into　cement　clinker　by　the　reactions　occurred　in　the　production　system,　instead　of　being　consumed　in　a　deeply　dissipated　way　and　emitted　to　the　environment.　The　major　disadvantage　of　using　CCS　for　cement　clinker　production　is　the　increase　of　coal　consumption,　i.e.,　515　MJ/t　cement　clinker,　and　the　major　advantage　of　using　CCS　for　cement　clinker　production　is　the　resource　benefit　brought　by　CO(2)reduction　(the　avoided　biotic　resource　damage　in　ecosystem),　i.e.,　1160　MJ/t　cement　clinker.　Conclusions　From　the　analysis　on　the　influence　of　the　substitution　of　CCS　for　limestone　on　the　resource　consumption　intensity,　we　found　that　the　resource　consumption　intensity　of　the　production　system　using　CCS　is　approximately　15.5%　lower　than　that　of　the　production　system　using　natural　mineral;　however,　if　this　resource　benefit　is　neglected,　the　resource　consumption　intensity　of　the　production　system　using　CCS　is　approximately　7.6%　higher　than　that　of　the　production　system　using　natural　mineral.　We　suggest　that　establishing　a　theoretical　bridge　between　the　characterization　models　of　biotic　resource　and　abiotic　resource　will　still　be　a　significant　research　direction　in　the　future,　which　is　fundamental　in　objectively　understanding　and　unifying　the　issues　of　emission　reduction　and　resource　saving.