Exploring the chemical and mineralogical properties of a traditional healing stone from Southern Morocco

Abstract

• First-time study of El Hammira’s mineral and chemical characteristics. • Advanced techniques used to analyze its structure and elemental composition. • El Hammira plays a key role in traditional medicine in Southern Morocco. • Widely applied topically, with additional oral use in Saharan healing practices. • Presence of metals and metalloids suggests need for pre-use treatment. Naturotherapy involving geo-materials has been a longstanding practice, originating from antiquity. El Hammira , a striking red medicinal stone from Southern Morocco, continues to be a vital component in traditional Moroccan Saharan health practices. Despite its ongoing significance, the exact chemical composition and therapeutic efficacy of this practice remain largely underexplored, heavily based on oral tradition. This paper aims to characterize the mineral and chemical properties of El Hammira for the first time, using high-performance analytical techniques. Six samples were collected from the El Hammira deposit in Es-Smara, located in the southern region of Morocco. Samples are subjected to analysis using metallographic microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The results show that El Hammira is a distinctive rock with high iron content and predominant minerals, including quartz and silica. Additionally, the presence of metals and metalloids in exceeded quantities raises potential concerns regarding safety and efficacy. This first analysis of El Hammira , highlighting its unique mineral composition and the presence of metals and metalloids. These findings emphasize the need for further research and processing to ensure its safety for medicinal and cosmetic use.