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
Kurds in Turkey since about 16th century. They number between 50,000 to 100,000 people. The core of the Kurds of Central Anatolia is formed by "Tuz Gölü Kürtleri" (Kurds of Lake Tuz) who live in Ankara, Konya and Aksaray provinces. Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk) mentioned them as "Konya çöllerindeki Kürtler" (Kurds in the Konya deserts) in the interview with Ahmet Emin (Yalman) dated January 16/17, 1923. According to Hermann Wenzel, the original breeders of the Angora goat were the Kurds of Inner Anatolia. The largest tribes of the Kurds of Central Anatolia are the Bazaini or Shaikh Bazaini, Judikan, Saifkan, Chelebi, Janbeki, Jehanbegli, Khallikan,