Situated around 150 km from the city of Ankara is Lake Tuz, the second largest lake in all of Turkey and one of Turkey’s biggest salt reserves covering around 1,664 square kilometres.
Lake Tuz undergoes an extreme evaporation process, shaping its distinctive geological features for over thousands of years. This natural phenomenon has created one of Turkey’s most stunning landscapes while contributing significantly to the country’s economy through salt extraction. The high-quality salt harvested from Lake Tuz not only serves various industries but also enhances the lake’s natural beauty, making it a key attraction.
General Manager of Koyuncu Salt, Omer Cetiner spoke with the Ihlas News Agency giving an insight of the whole process.
Cetiner stated that “During winter, snow and rainwater dissolve the salt rock zones beneath the lake and bring them to the surface. In the summer, starting from March to April, the water evaporates due to the sun’s heat, causing the water to precipitate. Each year, we harvest the precipitated salt in the same way, using special cutting machines, just like harvesting crops.”
He continued that “We produce approximately 400,000 tons of mechanically refined salt annually, with the chemical industry, especially the detergent sector, being the main buyer.”
Cetiner went on to say that “Lake Tuz meets 70% of Türkiye’s salt needs. It’s a huge resource; the remaining 30% comes from sea salt and rock salt. In terms of purity and cleanliness, it is always the purest.”
He explained that “We have an organic, clean lake free from environmental and plastic pollution, as well as human waste. This is true worldwide, as salt lakes are rare and not connected to the sea, protecting them from chemical contamination, we are fortunate to have such a resource.”
Cetiner went on to say “We are currently in the middle of the harvest season, which we plan to complete by November 15. We began in early August and based on the data we have, we expect to finish by November 15. By then, we will have harvested around 1.5 million tons of salt. As Koyuncu Salt, we export 50% of the products we obtain here to more than 50 countries worldwide.”
During his talk with the Ihlas News Agency, Cetiner stated that “This place is truly a natural treasure. It’s a great fortune for our country.”
Source: Daily Sabah / Photo by Livin4wheel on Unsplash
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