Tunceli Pülümür Underground Spring Salt

Tunceli Pülümür Underground Source Salt is an underground source salt produced in the Pülümür district of Tunceli province. The product is defined as a odorless, transparent, and cubic-shaped salt extracted from natural spring water deposits and crystallized under sunlight using traditional methods. It was officially registered as a geographical indication by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office on 21 November 2025.

Tunceli Pülümür Underground Source Salt has been registered as a geographical indication under number 1793 with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. This geographical indication is exclusive to salt produced within the boundaries of the villages of Göneli, Hiver, and Balpayam in the Pülümür district of Tunceli province. The registration process was initiated with an application on 13 November 2024 and completed on 21 November 2025.

The product is known as Tunceli Pülümür Underground Source Salt and is classified as a flavoring or seasoning salt within the salt group. The registration certificate describes the salt as “odorless, transparent, and cubic-shaped underground source salt.” The geographical boundary lies within the Fırat Basin, surrounded by the Munzur and Bağırpaşa Mountains.

In the designated geographical area, underground waters dissolve salt layers within rock formations. The saline water emerges at the surface through valley streams and crystallizes. The region’s continental climate, with high temperatures and intense sunlight during summer months, facilitates increased salinity concentration and the formation of salt crystals.

The saline water emerging at the surface is collected in boreholes drilled to a depth of 8–10 meters. This brine is then transferred to settling ponds where evaporation caused by wind and sunlight leads to salt crystallization. The crystallized salt is traditionally dehydrated, dried, and packaged without any additives. The production period generally spans from June to September.

Salt production in Pülümür is based on traditional techniques that have been practiced for centuries. Rock salt found alongside underground water is extracted through boreholes and evaporated in open ponds using solar energy. After the water evaporates, the remaining residue becomes the final salt product. No chemical additives are used in this process, and the salt is sold in its natural state.

^{Pülümür salt production (}Anadolu Ajansı⁾

Underground source salt produced naturally in ponds in the Pülümür district of Tunceli serves as a source of income for the local population. While this salt is sold on the domestic market, it is also distributed to various provinces across Türkiye.

^{Production site of Pülümür salt (}Anadolu Ajansı⁾

The geographical indication registration certificate also specifies certain physical and chemical properties of the product. Parameters such as salinity level, electrical conductivity, and pH value reflect the salt’s origin from underground source water and its formation through natural evaporation. The certificate states that the chemical composition of Tunceli Pülümür Underground Source Salt consists primarily of sodium chloride, with naturally occurring traces of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The product’s moisture content, solubility, and crystalline structure are distinctive characteristics determined by the geological composition and climatic conditions of the production area. These physical and chemical attributes are defined as distinguishing features that establish the product’s intrinsic link to its geographical origin.