The limestone quarry of Aït Baha is located in the rural commune of Imi Mqorn administratively attached to the Province of Chtouka Aït Baha, located about 55 km south-east of the city of Agadir, about 25 km south- west of Biougra and near the Aït Baha cement plant of Ciments du Maroc.
The Aït Baha quarry is easily accessible from the RP1007 provincial road connecting Imi Mqorn and Taroudant by a road developed by Ciments du Maroc over a length of about 2 km.
The Surface authorized for exploitation is 580 ha including 430 ha which represents the protection zone. No protected area around. The Aït Baha quarry is at about 45km as the crow flies to the East of the Souss-Massa National Park.
Details of the exploitation operation (delimitation of study zone Vs exploitation zone): The authorized concession is in the estate of the Water and Forests Administration. The exploitation of this quarry began in 2010. Its elevation goes from + 220 m at the bottom to + 445 m at the top.
The quarry is operated from top to bottom in a West and North direction by blasting. The transport of the extracted materials is done by truck to the crushing unit located on site. The quarry currently consists of 4 stopes (benches) of 15m each.
The limestone deposit belongs to the mountain range of the Western Anti-Atlas. It is slightly metamorphic of Lower Cambrian age (530 MA) with Archeocyathidae (Єi12a and Єi2b) of grayish to whitish crystalline color and locally nodular. The limestone is in the form of layers of NE-SW direction plunging 15 degrees towards the SW.
Specifics of the region in terms of fauna and flora :
Taking into account the fact that the vegetation stage or the bioclimatic stage is “the biological replica of the climate”, it is important to specify that the site is located in the climatic stage of vegetation known as “thermo - Mediterranean” which is the stage corresponding to the most thermophilic vegetation in the Mediterranean. The site is located in the climatic stage of so-called "infra - Mediterranean" vegetation which is individualized by a flora dominated by Macaronesian elements, the most remarkable of which are crassulescent and aphyllous (leafless). This ecosystem is characterized by major forest species such as Argania spinosa and Acacia gummifera .
Floristic aspects
The area is occupied by a generally clear argan grove. It is a woody argan steppe whose density increases slightly in the valleys. It corresponds to a transition zone between the two Mediterranean and Saharan areas indicated by the species Cymbopogon schoenanthus, Aizoon canariense, Kickxia heterophylla, Senecio flavus , etc.
The undergrowth is poor and everywhere dominated by herbaceous plants like Stipa capensis, Eryngium ilicifolium, Stoibrax involucratum, Cuscuta approximata, Emex spinosa, Spergula fallax, Diplotaxis virgata, Malva parviflora, Scorzonerioides muelleri, Leontodon saxatilis, Lamarckia aurea, Asphodelus tenuifolius, etc.
Fauna aspects
The site is not very rich in animal species. Wildlife is made up of small game (partridge, hares, rabbits, etc.), large game (wild boar), Reptiles (turtles, slow-worms, grass snakes, chameleons, lizards and snakes), Avifauna (harriers, hawks, barn owls , lark, sparrow, turtledove, warblers, etc.) and mammals (fox, wild boar, gerbil, etc.).
