Geochemical and mineralogical characterization of rocks in the vicinity of Tiflet, Morocco: implications for their potential applications

We carried out a geochemical study on different rock samples noted SP1, SP2, SP3, and SP4 collected from the Tiflet region in Morocco. This study revealed valuable information about their mineralogical and chemical compositions, as well as their potential applications in construction and industry. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that rock samples SP1 and SP2 contain mainly quartz and plagioclase, while samples SP3 and SP4 have significant concentrations of clinochlore, quartz, and kaolinite. The presence of dolomite and calcite was also confirmed in rock sample SP4. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis highlighted the dominant chemical elements in the samples. Silicon dioxide (SiO₂) is abundant in SP1 (62.31% by weight), indicating a high quartz content. The other samples showed variations in composition, with different proportions of aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), iron oxide (Fe₂O₃), magnesium oxide (MgO), and calcium oxide (CaO). Infrared (IR) spectrometric analysis identified absorption bands typical of different minerals, showing bands corresponding to carbonates, quartz, feldspars, and kaolinite. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses results of the various geological formations in Tiflet region lead to their significant potential applications, particularly in the fabrication of construction materials as adobe bricks with their high quartz and plagioclase content, in ceramic production because most of the samples are rich with kaolinite, ideal for producing high-quality ceramic porcelains, tiles and sanitary equipment and also in the fabrication of high-temperature furnaces made by silica bricks (SP1 specially) applicable in different industrial domains.