## 3 Results and Discussion
The higher clay size content in the market and prepared samples can be associated with preparation processes, which involve crushing and sieving (Figure 2). The samples' color presented a link to samples' clay content, with whitish and yellowish samples exhibiting a relatively lower clay size content (27.9 to 80.3%) than reddish samples (81.0 to 88.1%). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**Var**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Unprepared Samples**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Prepared Samples**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Markets Samples**} \\ \cline{2-10}  & **MIW** & **MIR** & **RW** & **RR** & **MZW** & **MZY** & **MZR** & **MER** & **MXR** \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Color} & Pinkish white & Pale red & White & Pale red & White & Pale yellow & Pale red & Pale red & Pale red \\  & 7.5 YR 8/2 & 2.5 YR 7/4 & 2.5 YR 8/1 & 2.5 YR 7/4 & 2.5 YR 8/1 & 5Y 8/2 & 7/4 2.5 YR & 7/4 2.5 YR & 7/4 2.5 YR \\ pH & 7.22 & 6.98 & 7.52 & 7.18 & 7.18 & 7.51 & 6.2 & 6.09 & 6.17 \\ EC & 13 & 25 & 47 & 28 & 301 & 465 & 264 & 401 & 269 \\ OM & 1.35 & 1.45 & 8.14 & 1.53 & 1.21 & 1.35 & 2.7 & 2 & 2.76 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} EC—electrical conductivity (\(\upmu\)S/cm); OM—organic matter (%).  
\end{table} 
Table 1: Samples physical parameters. Mineralogical analysis showed that quartz (SiO\({}_{2}\)) is the prevalent mineral (>60%) identified in consumed materials (sand fraction) in all samples (Figure 6). Moreover, Fe oxides/hydroxics, feldspars, and phyllosilicates were identified. A similar mineralogical composition was described in [43] in this area. The presence of quartz, K-f feldspar, and plagioclase in geophagic material was associated with the risk of tooth enamel damage,  
Figure 4: Granulometric classification of studied samples. Figure 5: Relative granulometric distribution of silt fraction particles (in %). given that the main inorganic component of human teeth is dominated by hydroxyapatite (Ca\({}_{5}\)(PO\({}_{4}\))\({}_{3}\)(OH), a calcium phosphate mineral, which is softer than quartz [23]. Silt fraction revealed that quartz and phyllosilicates (mainly micas and kaolinite) are predominant in all samples. Quartz content decreased in all samples, except MIW, which is still very high (81%). Phyllosilicates content increased significantly in three of the four samples from the local markets (MZR, MXR, and MER), in which phyllosilicates amount is higher than quartz. Plagioclase [(Na,Ca)]([Si,Al)AlSi\({}_{2}\)]O\({}_{8}\)] was identified in MIW and MZR samples. Calcite [CaCO\({}_{3}\)] presented variable content, which is more abundant in whitish samples. Magnetic-maghemite was identified in all samples and fractions (except in the MIW sample) and was more abundant in reddish ones. Concerning clay fractions, mineralogical analysis by XRD (Table 2) showed that kaolinite [Al\({}_{2}\)Si\({}_{2}\)O\({}_{5}\)(OH)\({}_{4}\)] was the predominant clay mineral, with the exception of the MIW sample, in which illite [K\({}_{0.65}\)Al\({}_{2.0}\)(Al\({}_{0.65}\)Si\({}_{3.35}\)O\({}_{10}\))(OH)\({}_{2}\)] was predominant. Illite was also present in samples RW, RR, and MZW. Smetic [(Na,Ca)\({}_{0.33}\)(Al,Fe,Mg)\({}_{2}\)(Si\({}_{4}\)O\({}_{10}\))(OH)\({}_{2}\). nH\({}_{2}\)O] was present in discrete amounts (tr) in several samples. This clay mineralogical composition is quite similar to geographic clays from Cameroon and Nigeria [42], as well as in a similar study of geophagic materials from South Africa, Swaziland, and DRC, in which kaolinite was found to be the predominant mineral, followed by smctite and illite [47]. Kaolinite clays are commonly consumed for the containment of stomach disorders [58]. Subject to sodium carbonate treatment, affordable and effective