Lake Tuz occurs. For most of the year, it is very shallow (approx.). During winter part of the salt is dissolved in the fresh water that is introduced to the lake by precipitation and surface runoff (to 324% salinity). During the summer the lake dries up exposing an average of 30 cm thick salt layer in August. This mechanism is used as a basis for the process of the salt mines in the lake. The three mines operating in the lake produce 63% of the salt consumed in Turkey. The salt mining generates industrial activity in the region, mainly related to salt
Tuz resmi gave all salt revenues to the Public Debt Commission - in an attempt to help pay off the Ottoman government's foreign debts. In the face of this government control of salt production (and of salt prices), smuggling became a problem. In the later 19th century, government revenue from tuz resmi was typically 70-80 million kurus per year; by 1912 revenue had risen to 130,476,788 kurus - much higher than other tariffs such as the muskirat resmi (spirits tax) or the damga resmi (stamp duty), although taxes on land and crops continued to return more revenue. Tuz resmi The tuz resmi