Assessing Suitable Sites for Heavy Industry Development Using GIS: A Case Study of the Gobi Region

Хүнд үйлдвэрлэл хөгжүүлэх тохиромжтой байршлыг ГМС-д тулгуурлан зураглах нь (Говийн бүсийн жишээн дээр)

Abstract

The heavy industry sector is one of the strategic sectors that form the foundation of a country’s industrial competitiveness and sustainable economic development. Therefore, determining the optimal locations for industrial zones based on scientifically grounded spatial analysis and computational methods is crucial. The main objective of this study was to identify suitable locations for establishing heavy industries in the Gobi region using GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), taking into account natural conditions, resources, socio-economic factors, and other relevant information. A total of 19 evaluation criteria were used in this study, including three criteria related to mineral and natural resources, five infrastructure-related criteria, three market-related criteria, six socio-economic criteria, and four environmental restriction criteria representing areas prohibited for industrial development under Mongolian legislation. The results indicated that 2.1% of the study area is highly suitable, 6.7% is suitable, 15.5% is moderately suitable, 57.2% is unsuitable, and 18.3% is restricted for industrial development. The developed evaluation aligns with planned industrial projects and programs in the Gobi region, as indicated by a Kappa coefficient of 0.69. These findings demonstrate the applicability of scientifically based spatial evaluation methods in planning heavy industry development in the Gobi region. Consequently, the results provide practical recommendations for implementing new industrial projects in optimal locations, as well as for planning infrastructure investments and environmental management.