Spatial Suitability Analysis for Quarry Site Selection in Northern Morocco Using GIS and MCDA: Towards Sustainable Resource Exploitation

Authors

  • Menaouer Nourddine

    Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology of Tangier, University Abdelmalek Esaadi, Tetouan 93000, Maroc
  • El Habti Mohammed Yassine

    Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology of Tangier, University Abdelmalek Esaadi, Tetouan 93000, Maroc
  • Zayoun Anas

    Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology of Tangier, University Abdelmalek Esaadi, Tetouan 93000, Maroc
  • El Arrim Abdelkrim

    Department of Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology of Tangier, University Abdelmalek Esaadi, Tetouan 93000, Maroc

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i1.11806
Received: 25 August 2025 | Revised: 10 October 2025 | Accepted: 21 October 2025 | Published Online: 9 February 2026

Abstract

The exploitation of quarries represents a strategic component of Morocco’s construction-materials sector, especially amid rapid urbanization and infrastructure expansion. To ensure that extractive activities remain environmentally sustainable and compliant with national regulations, this study applies a spatial suitability analysis based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) within the ArcGIS Pro environment. The methodology integrates six key criteria: lithology, slope gradient, hydrographic buffers, land-use/land-cover patterns, accessibility to transport networks, and exclusion of urbanized or ecologically sensitive zones. Each parameter was weighted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to generate a composite suitability map for quarry site selection in north-western Morocco. The resulting classification shows that 18 % of the total area is highly suitable, 34 % moderately suitable, and 48 % unsuitable for sustainable quarrying. Priority zones occur mainly within carbonate formations in the Tangier–Assilah Province and, to a lesser extent, within Numidian flysch units in the Fahs-Anjra Province. These findings demonstrate that GIS–MCDA methods offer a robust and transparent framework for optimizing quarry site selection, reducing ecological risk, and improving decision-making for land-use planning and resource management in Morocco’s extractive sector.

Keywords:

Remote Sensing; Environmental Impact Assessment; Geotechnical Parameters; Land-Use Conflicts; Multi-Criteria Evaluation; Decision Support Tools

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Nourddine, M., Yassine, E. H. M., Anas, Z., & Abdelkrim, E. A. (2025). Spatial Suitability Analysis for Quarry Site Selection in Northern Morocco Using GIS and MCDA: Towards Sustainable Resource Exploitation. Research in Ecology, 8(1), 274–293. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i1.11806

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Vol.8, Iss.1 (February 2026)(in progress)

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Copyright © 2025 Menaouer Nourddine, El Habti Mohammed Yassine, Zayoun Anas, El Arrim Abdelkrim

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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