Mineralogical, geochemical, and geotechnical characterization of Safi clays (North-Western Morocco) for potontial uses in the ceramics industry

This study provides an integrated mineralogical, geochemical, and geotechnical characterization of clay materials from the Safi basin (North-Western Morocco) to evaluate their suitability for ceramic applications.Ten representative clay samples collected from the two principal stratigraphic facies, the Brown Clays and the Red Sandy Clay layers, were analyzed using XRD, FTIR, and XRF, alongside grain-size distribution, Atterberg limits, organic matter content, carbonate content, porosity, and permeability measurements.The clays are dominated by illite, kaolinite, and quartz, with variable amounts of chlorite, feldspar, calcite, and dolomite.Geochemically, the samples exhibit moderate to high SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ contents, consistent with illitic-kaolinite compositions.Geotechnical analyses classify most samples as silty clays with moderate plasticity and low to moderate permeability.Ceramic suitability assessment based on standard evaluation diagrams indicates that most clay materials are suitable for the production of structural ceramic products, including bricks, tiles, and stoneware, whereas the carbonate-rich marl requires suitable