Denizli Travertine is Showcased in 100 Countries
Travertine, which forms Turkey's white paradise Pamukkale, is exported to 100 countries after being extracted from underground following intense work in the stone quarries in the region, in addition to its contribution to Turkish tourism.
2 million tons of travertine are extracted annually from 40 quarries in the region.
Travertine is 1 million years old
Denizli Exporters Association Board Member Ahmet Serter told the AA correspondent that Turkey's mineral exports are 5 billion dollars annually, and that natural stone constitutes 2.2 billion dollars of this.
Reminding that Turkey's largest travertine basin is in Denizli, Serter made the following assessment:
"There is 800 thousand cubic meters of production annually in this region. The weight unit equivalent of this is 2 million tons. Pamukkale is approximately 20 kilometers away. Travertine formation is still geologically continuing there. The travertine extracted from the quarries in the Ballık Boğazı location is 1 million years old. Denizli travertine is showcased in the world's prestigious structures. Especially large hotels in the Middle East and the USA prefer Turkish products."
Emphasizing that 8 thousand people work in the travertine quarries and factories in the city center, Serter mentioned that this is approaching 10 thousand with indirect employment.
Underlining that they are also sensitive about the environment, Serter added that rehabilitation is carried out after the reserve in the quarry is finished, and the areas where ore is extracted are covered with soil and afforested.