Abstract The capability to recycle waste materials, such as steel slag, has appealed to the construction industry, as the cement industry faces a major challenge to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere. This paper investigated the obtainment of cement pastes with Kanbara reactor desulfurization waste slag (KR slag) through alkaline activation using silicate and sodium hydroxide solutions. The mixtures were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), compressive strength, and physical property tests. The FTIR, XRD, and TGA results pointed to chemical activation, forming C-S-H and C-(A)-S-H gels. The formation of these compounds indicated the possibility of using KR slag in cementitious composites for civil construction.