Meerschaum, MIHR shuhm, is a soft, whitish fibrous or flaky clay. Manufacturers use it to make tobacco pipes. Meerschaum is also called sepiolite. It is so light that it will float in water. In German, the word meerschaum means sea foam. The mineral gets its name because it floats and has the look of foam. Large quantities of meerschaum are found in Asia Minor. Lumps of it are found in masses of other types of clay. Meerschaum is a compound of magnesium, silicon, oxygen, and water. It is a water-bearing magnesium silicate.