NATURAL STONE INDUSTRY IN TURKEY
TURKEY is a land of marble and travertine.
Turkey, situated on the Alpine Belt, where the world’s richest marble deposits are found, is among the world’s oldest natural stone producers with four thousand years of production history that starts in the Marmara Island. With the Marmara and Aegean Regions at the forefront, almost in all geographical regions from the Thrace to the Eastern Anatolia , more than 400 different colors textures and patterns of natural stones are found that gained appreciation about their quality in the world markets. Marble and travertine being in the first place, granite, onyx, limestone, basalt, andesite, slate stone and diabase are types of stones that are produced in Turkey.
Turkey is also among the most important natural stone producers in the world, with its developing industry and production technology. Turkish natural stone sector has an important place in the world with is richness of variety and reserves, sector experience, abundance of raw materials, ease of shipment in sea transportation, its dynamic sector structure, the new technologies being utilized and its broad color spectrum . Today, Turkey is one of the most important countries in the natural stone sector with more than a thousand large and small quarries.
Common Characteristic Qualities of Turkish Marbles
Ø Quality - Free from any cracks or other defects
Ø Color - There is a wide range of colors, which allows a wide range of choice
Ø Sizes - Sufficient to yield big blocks
Ø Uniformity - Consistency in quality
Ø Pattern - Decorative arrangements of colors and crystal compositions are possible
Besides these common properties every marble has its specific colors and composition, which make it possible to use them in the production of exclusive products.
You can see the unique selection of Turkish Stones in the link down below.
http://www.turkishstones.org/ts/
Production in Turkey
More than 1.500 marble quarries, 2.000 factories and about 9.000 workshops operate in the sector. 90% of quarries are located in the west of Anatolia, mainly in Aegean and Marmara Regions.
The production of natural stones in Turkey has grown rapidly in the last decade. Large scale private companies invested in integrated processing plants, which resulted in developments in the local market. With the introduction of modern production equipment and methods, Turkey has become one of the world’s prominent natural stone producers. In 2016, Turkey’s total production volume of natural stones was 19.9 million tons. Turkey is the 3rd largest producing country in the world. These stones and marble processing technologies are exhibited in international fairs and local fairs organized in Turkey.
Export
Turkey is the 1st largest exporting country in the world in marble and travertine (except granite). Natural stone exports have developed rapidly in the last ten years. Turkish stone can be found in the buildings and sidewalks of 200 different countries. The total value of natural stone exports reached 1.8 billion $ in 2016 and it became 2 billion $ in 2017.