Artyomovsky Chalk

Ukraine – UA034A
Composition: Chalk
Colour: White
Shape: Raw

Light, medium-hard, porous, crumbles into light grains, taste of writing paper, after rain smell.

This sample was acquired on the webshop vkusnomel.ua.market in July 2017. Thanks to its beautiful landscapes, Ukraine hosts an important production of clay and chalk, parts of which sold as edible products on the international market.

Artemivsk is located in the Donetsk region, which is also famous for Artemsil Salt Mines. They have more than 200 km of tunnels and are located at the depth of 288 m. The development of the mines started in 1876. Due to its purity and mineral composition, the salt from Artemivsk is highly valued both in Ukraine and abroad. Artemivsk chalk was mined in a natural oasis filled with the smell of herbs. The slopes of the quarry are distinguished by the constant abundance of rare species of steppe plants.

This sample is precious as the earth from which it was taken will probably not be clean anymore to be eaten because of the military invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine. This aggression results in colossal environmental damage, along with tremendous people suffering. An ecological disaster has occurred in the neighbouring region. According to svoboda.org in April 2022, Russian shells hit tanks filled with nitric acid, which were in an industrial area in Rubizhne, Luhansk region. This acid is toxic to humans and can lead topulmonary edema.

Sources:
● ‘Artyomovsky Chalk’, Mel-ok (Russian), accessed on 20/06/2022 mel-ok.com/kupit-mel-prirodnyj/mel-artjomovskij.html
● ‘Chalk chemical composition. Chalk is a rock’, Dd-restaurant (English), accessed on 20/06/2022 dd-restaurant.ru/en/salads/mel-himicheskii-sostav-mel-eto-gornaya-poroda-fizicheskie/