Terre de Sommières
A BIT OF HISTORY...
The land of Salinelles, universally known as detaching oils and fats, is improperly called «land of Sommières» because in the nineteenth century, the shipment is made from the station of goods of Sommières. The first geological studies are due to Émilien Dumas de Sommières between 1875-1877, who indicates a well of 10m depth, dug in 1855 in the middle of the place of the village of Salinelles. The geological zone extends from Lecques to Aspères-Garrigues from Buzignargues-Galargues to Salinelles. By 1848, production was about 20 tons per year, the first extractions were made in rudimentary ways. In 1932, the SREP (Société de recherches et d'exploitation Pétrolifères) signed a contract with the Mairie de Salinelles for the exploitation of sepiolite. It pays an annual fee of 600 frs plus 4 frs per tonne extracted. The storage and drying area of this land is 2000 m2.
In the 1940s, the farm included about 20 people. From 1958, a major project was planned and started with about forty people for an annual extraction of 5,500 tonnes. Unfortunately, between 1962 and 1964, many water infiltrations were present in the galleries, so production was limited. From 1970 onwards, activity was considerably reduced. The exploitation is sometimes carried out in the open, the Blondin family of Salinelles, reduced it in powder to sell it in sachets in the drugstores of the region as a stain remover.
USING
"Sepiolite" is a slightly purplish stone, which when drying becomes white. "Sepiolite" is also found in the Seine et Marne, Morocco and Spain. It is a clay that can absorb 80% of its weight in water. The first use in our region has certainly been the degreasing and washing of wool by absorption of fat and therefore used by Sommiérois coons and drapers. Jean Jacques Rousseau in the account of his travels indicates to have used it to clean a garment stained with fat, we also find it at the druggists of Nîmes. The petroleum industry, uses sepiolite in their drilling, there are many expeditions to Algeria.
TODAY
The land of Sommières is today produced mainly in Spain and Morocco, its efficiency is less but just as much appreciated for these many virtues.
Source: Terre de Sommières or sepiolite de Salinelles – Special issue "Bulletin Sommières et son Histoire".
WHERE TO BUY LAND OF SOMMIÈRES ?
The land of Sommières is for sale in some shops in Sommières.
