Exploitability of construction materials in the calcareous dorsal of the Haouz Mountain range in the region of Tangier-Tetouan, Morocco

This study constitutes a geospatial approach to determining the exploitability of the carbonate formations of the Haouz Mountain range in the Tangier-Tetouan region of northern Morocco, for the purpose of the production of construction material, using geographic information system (GIS) tools. The method employed in this study starts by outlining the limits of the study area, based on the geological character of the exploitable deposits. Then, we proceeded to identify the environmental and land use factors that would normally constrict the quarrying activity. The idea is to create multiple “constraint maps”, one for each related group of element that can hinder that type of activity, with various degrees of impact for each map. Finally we opted to weigh these constraint maps and combine them in order to produce one simplistic “exploitability map” for the aggregate exploration industries in the area. The resulting map can be utilised in the future as base for the creation of a management plan for the mining industries in the sector of the Haouz Mountains.