The Suitability of the Limestone beds of the Bekhme Formation for Cement Production East of Aqra Town, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

The Peris Mountain (anticline) is long and wide, located in the northern part of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR), and the trend of the anticline is almost east–west. The studied rocks belong to the Bekhme Formation, which consists mainly of limestone. We selected the site for sampling to be relevant for a quarry, taking into consideration the thickness of the exposed rocks, no overburden, favorable quarrying faces, hardness of the rocks, bedding nature, good extension of the outcrops, and a favorable place for the construction of a cement plant. Moreover, it is far from inhabited areas like villages and other residential sites. We sampled the rocks of the Bekhme Formation, and a total of 15 samples were collected. The sample collection was systematically arranged in an interval of (5 to 10) m to represent the studied section. The samples were checked in a laboratory by XRF to measure the percentage of the required oxides and other elements, which are used in the assessment process to indicate the suitability of the studied rocks for cement production. The acquired data showed that the studied rocks can be used in the cement industry.