Feasibility Study of using Marl Raw Material in the Cement industry

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the suitability of marl as a partial or complete substitute for clay or limestone in cement manufacturing. A detailed chemical and statistical analysis was conducted on a large set of marl samples collected from the Arab Union Cement Factory. Chemical analyses were performed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to determine the proportions of major and minor oxides. Several statistical methods—such as standard deviation and coefficient of variation—were applied to assess the variability in marl properties.

     The results revealed that the analyzed marl has a chemical composition intermediate between limestone and clay, but with a stronger tendency toward clay-like components. A moderate to high variability was observed in some oxides (such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and LSF), indicating a need to enhance homogenization and blending systems within the factory. The study concludes that marl cannot be considered a complete replacement for clay or limestone but is suitable as a complementary component in the raw mix for clinker production, provided that quality control is maintained consistently. The study recommends implementing periodic statistical quality control systems to improve raw material stability and adopting smart control technologies to minimize variability—thereby supporting the production of high-quality cement with lower waste and reduced operational costs.