Field, Mega- and Microscopic Characterization of Industrial and Building Raw Materials in Al Barazah Area, West-Central Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia

Authors

  • Ali Mesaed

    Geo-Exploration Techniques Department, Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Geology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
  • Nawaf Almuntshry

    Structural Geology and Remote Sensing Department, Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
  • Khaled Rahimi

    Faculty of Earth Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Geohazards Research Center, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jbms.v8i3.13842
Received: 5 August 2026 | Revised: 27 August 2026 | Accepted: 31 August 2026 | Published Online: 28 September 2026

Abstract

The study area is in the western central part of Saudi Arabia. The present study aims to shed light on the field, megascopic and microscopic characterization of the different types of industrial and building raw materials of Al Barzah area. Geologically, the study area includes: i.e., gabbro, diorite, and rhyolites of the Kamile suite and Hashash Granites, which are overlained by the layered succession of the Samaran Group. In some areas, Hashash granite is highly weathered, and overlained by white clay deposits. Tertiary sedimentary succession that includes red clays and oolitic ironstones of the Haddat Asham Formation and black basalt (harrat) are present in the topmost part of the highlands. The study area is of economic importance where it contains the following industrial and building raw materials: 1) Fresh Granites which are hard and composed from alkali feldspars, micas and quartz; 2) Weathered granites which area highly decomposed giving rise to white characteristic clay zone; 3) Green celadonitic clays of Samaran Group (Maddrakkah Formation); 4) The white silicified and marbleized carbonates of the Maddrakkah Formation; 5) Oolitic iron ores and the intercalated clay deposits of Haddat Ash Shamam Formation; and 6) The tuffaceous mudstones and the intercalated basalts (Harrat). The stratigraphic setting, distribution, and the petrographic composition and genesis of these raw materials, contribute to a better understanding of their possible uses based on their properties.

Keywords:

Petrography; Kaolinitic Clays; Dimension Stones; Industrial Minerals; Geology of Makkah Area; Arabian Shield

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How to Cite

Mesaed, A., Almuntshry, N., & Rahimi, K. (2026). Field, Mega- and Microscopic Characterization of Industrial and Building Raw Materials in Al Barazah Area, West-Central Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Building Material Science, 8(3), 257–277. https://doi.org/10.30564/jbms.v8i3.13842

Issue

Vol. 8, Iss. 3 (September 2026): In Progress

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2026 Ali Mesaed, Nawaf Almuntshry, Khaled Rahimi

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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