What is Meerschaum?
A white, porous mineral that is easy to work with. Eskişehir is the place where the most meerschaum is found in the world. Meerschaum, which is abundant in the Sepetçi village of this province, is used in the manufacture of pipes, cigarette holders, rosaries, trinkets and ornaments.
In the soil, the main ingredient is a hydrated magnesia silicate.
Having a reputation for absorbing, the mouthpiece and pipe are said to be premium materials. When the tobacco meets, the meerschaum, which absorbs like a filter, turns a yellowish color.
When the administration was found for the first time, the quarries, which were managed by the state, were transferred to the private sector after a while. Today, there are more than 300 meerschaum quarries in Sepetçi and the surrounding villages, where meerschaum is abundant. The extracted stones are processed in workshops located in the same region. Meerschaum, which is a source of income for children in the region, earns a large amount of foreign currency for education.
In terms of quality, meerschaum in five rows, such as unit ware, pieced, piecemeal, granular and paddy pouring; It is present in small amounts in France, Greece, Spain and South Africa and the USA.