Egypt’s agriculture relies on imported potassium fertilizers for logistical and financial reasons. A promising local alternative is glauconite from El Gedida, Western Desert. This study presents an integrated characterization using XRD, XRF, TGA/DTA, FTIR, SEM-EDX, optical thin-section microscopy and particle size analysis. XRF revealed K₂O (5.824%), Fe₂O₃ (25.06%), and SiO₂ (40.65%), with minor Al₂O₃ and MgO. XRD confirmed glauconite as the main phase, while FTIR indicated hydroxyl and silicate groups. TGA/DTA showed dehydroxylation and stability up to 800 °C. SEM-EDX images highlighted a porous, flake-like morphology. Petrographic analysis described grain morphology and contacts essential for evaluating liberation behavior. Semi-quantitative XRD indicated the run-of-mine contains ~49% glauconite, with quartz (26.3%) and talc (24.7%) as major gangues. Beneficiation by wet high-intensity magnetic separation (13,000 G, 7% solid/liquid ratio) improved glauconite to ~66.8% with a high yield of 88.65%. Following beneficiation, the mineralogical traits of El-Gedida glauconite highlight its potential as potassium-bearing material, justifying deeper study into its suitability as a slow-release nutrient source. However, additional potassium-release, agronomic, and environmental studies are required before practical agricultural applications can be recommended. The upgraded material may also have potential for other industrial applications.