Deserts are the most widespread areas in Iraq, spread on the western and southern sides of the country. The desert soil of the Iraqi desert is one of the most important sources of minerals and heavy elements required in the fields of industry and agriculture in Iraq. In this evaluative and comparative study, samples were taken from the soil of the Samawa Desert in southern Iraq and laboratory tests were conducted on them. Important results were obtained regarding mineral elements and salts in these samples. Other soil samples were extracted from fertile agricultural soil in northern Baghdad and underwent evaluative tests. The following parameters were tested: total dissolved solids (TDS), nitrate (NO3), total hardness as carbonates (TH), calcium (Ca+2), chlorides (Cl), hydrogen power (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), NH4, NO2, PO4, salinity, as well as metallic elements Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Ni, and Zn). The results of chemical analyses indicated that the soils were considered neutral to weakly acidic (pH ranging between 7.8 and 8.1). Moreover, concentrations of NH4, NO2, NO3, Ca+2, Fe, and Ni in the desert soil samples were higher than the values of those in the agricultural soil samples. On the contrary, agricultural soil samples had the highest concentrations of PO4, Cl, Cr, and Pb. Concerning the concentrations of Th, Ec, Cd, Cu and Zn, there were no significant differences between the values of agricultural and desert soil samples. The desert soil from southern Iraq was compared with the agricultural soil from northern Baghdad to determine the extent to which the desert soil can be used for agriculture and to compare the former with the standard regarding the main elements of agricultural soil. This study also explored the possible benefits of soil from the Iraqi desert concerning industrial or commercial operations.