I-Diatomite luhlobo lwelitye le-siliceous, elisasazwa kakhulu eTshayina, eMelika, eJapan, eDenmark, eFransi, eRomania nakwamanye amazwe. Lilitye le-siliceous sedimentary eliphilayo, eliqulunqwe kakhulu ziintsalela zee-diatom zamandulo. Ulwakhiwo lwalo lweekhemikhali ikakhulu yi-SiO2, enokubonakaliswa njenge-SiO2 · nH2O, kwaye ulwakhiwo lwayo lwezimbiwa yi-opal kunye neentlobo zalo. Ugcino lwe-diatomite eTshayina luziitoni ezingama-320 ezigidi, kwaye ugcino olulindelekileyo lungaphezulu kweetoni ezi-2 zeebhiliyoni.

Uxinano lwe-diatomite yi-1.9-2.3g/cm3, uxinano olukhulu yi-0.34-0.65g/cm3, indawo ethile yomphezulu yi-40-65 ㎡/g, kwaye umthamo we-pore yi-0.45-0.98m³/g. Ukufunxwa kwamanzi kuphindwe kabini ukuya kane kunomthamo wawo, kwaye indawo yokunyibilika yi-1650C-1750 ℃. Ulwakhiwo olukhethekileyo lwe-porous lunokubonwa phantsi kwe-electron microscope.

I-Diatomite yenziwe yi-amorphous SiO2 kwaye iqulethe inani elincinci le-Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, Al2O3 kunye nokungcola kwendalo. I-Diatomite idla ngokuba tyheli okanye ingwevu ekhanyayo, ithambile, inemingxuma kwaye ilula. Ihlala isetyenziswa kushishino njengezinto zokuthintela ubushushu, izinto zokucoca, izinto zokugcwalisa, izinto ezirhabaxa, izinto eziluhlaza zeglasi yamanzi, i-agent yokususa umbala, uncedo lokucoca i-diatomite, umthwali we-catalyst, njl. Icandelo eliphambili le-diatomite yendalo yi-SiO2. I-diatomite esemgangathweni ophezulu imhlophe, kwaye umxholo we-SiO2 udla ngokudlula i-70%. Ii-diatom ze-Monomer azinambala kwaye azibonakali. Umbala we-diatomite uxhomekeke kwiiminerali zodongwe kunye nezinto eziphilayo, njl. Ukwakheka kwe-diatomite evela kwimithombo eyahlukeneyo yezimbiwa kwahlukile.

I-Diatomite luhlobo lwe-fossil diatom accumulative deposit yomhlaba eyenziwe emva kokufa kwesityalo esineseli enye esibizwa ngokuba yi-diatom emva kwexesha lokuqokelelwa kweminyaka emalunga ne-10000 ukuya kwi-20000. I-Diatom yenye ye-protozoa zokuqala emhlabeni, ehlala emanzini olwandle okanye emanzini echibi.

Le diatomite yenziwa ngokubeka amathambo e-diatom yesityalo sasemanzini esineseli enye. Ukusebenza kwayo okungaqhelekanga kukuba inokufunxa i-silicon ekhululekileyo emanzini ukuze yenze ulusu lwayo. Xa ubomi bayo buphelile, iya kubeka kwaye yenze ii-diatomite deposits phantsi kweemeko ezithile zejoloji. Ineempawu ezithile ezikhethekileyo, ezinje nge-porosity, uxinzelelo oluphantsi, indawo enkulu yomphezulu othile, ukungacinezeleki okulinganiselweyo kunye nokuzinza kweekhemikhali. Emva kokutshintsha ukusasazwa kobungakanani beesuntswana kunye neempawu zomphezulu womhlaba okrwada ngokusila, ukuhlunga, ukucola, ukuhlelwa komoya, ukususwa kokungcola kunye nezinye iinkqubo zokucubungula, inokusetyenziswa kwiimfuno ezahlukeneyo zoshishino ezifana nezongezo zepeyinti.