 Limoges had also been the site of a minor industry producing plain faience earthenware since the 1730s.The manufacturing of hard-paste porcelain at Limoges was established by Turgot in 1771 following the discovery of local supplies of kaolin and a material similar to petuntse in the economically distressed area at Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche, near Limoges.The materials, which were quarried beginning in 1768, were used to produce hard-paste porcelain similar to Chinese porcelain.