###### Abstract  
The purpose of this paper is to identify, quantify and delineate the areas with suitable aggregate resources in the Precambrian massif of Ifni and the limestone plateau of Lakhsssas (southwest Morocco). To fulfill this objective, a study was undertaken on the geotechnical parameters of the various geological outcrops of the region based on the analysis of 42 rock samples (carbonate, magmatic, detritic and volcano-detritic). Initially, we subjected these samples to a series of laboratory tests (impact resistance (L.A), wear resistance (MDE), density, porosity, absorption), to classify them according to geotechnical standards. Then, a geospatial database was created, to exploit these geotechnical data, from a geographical information system (GIS) to produce various thematic maps. Based on the results of this study, all geotechnical classes according to the standards (A to E for the European standard and 1A to 6D for the Morocco standard) are present with good to very good geomechanical properties (L.A between 12% and 35%, MDE between 5% and 30%). This classification allowed us to use GIS to identify and quantify potential areas for exploitation by assigning five categories of geotechnical suitability levels (high (4), medium (3), low (2), very low (1) and others (0)) and to show that approximately 72% of the study area belongs to the categories high, medium and low. The combination of laboratory results and GIS has allowed us to carry out geotechnical mapping that will be used by regional authorities and actors for good management of the field of quarrying to rationalize the national natural heritage.  
GIS; geological resources; geotechnics; AFNOR; Moroccan standard; quarries +
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
0
Footnote †: journal: Applied Sciences  
0
Footnote 0: 0  
The demand for the aforementioned resources continues to increase globally, due to the rapid development of global socio-economic needs [4], which has pushed the reflection on how to manage the exploitation sites while valuing its natural resources. With the evolution of geographic information systems (GIS), which can perform multiple tasks of manipulation and analysis of geospatial data [5; 6; 7], decision-making in the field of natural resource management becomes more efficient and interactive. In this vein, several authors have addressed the issue of sustainable management of exploitable resources, using GIS to develop a predictive model based on geospatial data (rock geology, transport network, topography, and land use) to identify optimal areas for the installation of new quarries [8; 9; 10; 11].  
The choice of location of a quarry is directly related to the availability of data on lithology, petrographic, geochemical, and especially geotechnical properties [12]. Thus, the determination of the physico-mechanical characteristics of each rock unit, according to European (AFNOR) and Moroccan standards, by geotechnical tests is an essential step in identifying and classifying potential deposits.  
The study area, which is part of the western Anti-Atlas (Morocco), has potential sources that have favored the opening of quarries without prior studies to optimize exploitation and that take into account the impact on the environment. In this context, our work is an attempt to map the geotechnical parameters favoring exploitation, by using the GIS, to identify and quantify resources and orient quarry operators toward the most suitable sites for the initiation of new quarries.  
In this article, we will first address the geographical location and the geological and geomorphological framework of the study area, before proceeding to the determination of physical and mechanical parameters, which are intrinsic parameters of the rocks and not related to the production phase (crushing, washing \(\ldots\)). The latter will be coupled with the spatial data from the GIS, thus allowing in the end the extraction of thematic maps informing decision-making and georeferenced databases useful for any planning in the future.