I-Diatomite uhlobo lwedwala le-siliceous, elisakazeke kakhulu eShayina, e-United States, eJapane, eDenmark, eFrance, eRomania nakwamanye amazwe. Liyidwala le-siliceous sedimentary eliphilayo, elihlanganiswe kakhulu nezinsalela zama-diatom asendulo. Ukwakheka kwamakhemikhali alo ikakhulukazi yi-SiO2, engachazwa njenge-SiO2 · nH2O, kanti ukwakheka kwamaminerali alo kuyi-opal kanye nezinhlobo zalo. Izindawo zokugcina ze-diatomite eShayina zingamathani ayizigidi ezingu-320, kanti izindawo zokugcina ezingaba khona zingamathani angaphezu kwezigidigidi ezimbili.

Ubuningi be-diatomite buyi-1.9-2.3g/cm3, ubuningi be-bulk buyi-0.34-0.65g/cm3, indawo ethile yobuso ingu-40-65 ㎡/g, kanti ivolumu ye-pore ingu-0.45-0.98m³/g. Ukumuncwa kwamanzi kuphindwe kabili kuya kane kunobuningi bawo, kanti iphuzu lokuncibilika liyi-1650C-1750 ℃. Isakhiwo esikhethekile se-porous singabonakala ngaphansi kwe-microscope ye-electron.

I-Diatomite yakhiwe yi-SiO2 engenasimo futhi iqukethe inani elincane le-Fe2O3, i-CaO, i-MgO, i-Al2O3 kanye nokungcola okungokwemvelo. I-Diatomite ivame ukuba phuzi noma impunga ekhanyayo, ithambile, inezimbobo futhi ilula. Ivame ukusetshenziswa embonini njengezinto zokuvikela ukushisa, izinto zokuhlunga, ukugcwalisa, izinto ezihudulayo, izinto zokusetshenziswa kwengilazi yamanzi, i-ejenti yokususa umbala, usizo lokuhlunga lwe-diatomite, isithwali se-catalyst, njll. Ingxenye eyinhloko ye-diatomite yemvelo yi-SiO2. I-diatomite esezingeni eliphezulu imhlophe, kanti okuqukethwe yi-SiO2 kuvame ukudlula u-70%. Ama-diatom e-Monomer awanambala futhi acacile. Umbala we-diatomite uncike kumaminerali obumba kanye nezinto eziphilayo, njll. Ukwakheka kwe-diatomite evela emithonjeni ehlukene yamaminerali kuhlukile.

I-Diatomite uhlobo lwe-fossil diatom accumulative soil deposit eyakheka ngemva kokufa kwesitshalo esineseli elilodwa esibizwa ngokuthi i-diatom ngemva kwesikhathi sokuqongelela esiyiminyaka engaba ngu-10000 kuya ku-20000. I-Diatom ingenye ye-protozoa yokuqala emhlabeni, ehlala emanzini olwandle noma emanzini echibi.

Le diatomite yakhiwa ngokubeka izinsalela ze-diatom yesitshalo sasemanzini esineseli elilodwa. Ukusebenza okuyingqayizivele kwale diatom ukuthi ingamunca i-silicon yamahhala emanzini ukuze yakhe uhlaka lwayo lwamathambo. Lapho impilo yayo isiphelile, izobeka futhi yakhe izinsalela ze-diatomite ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile zejiyoloji. Inezakhiwo ezithile ezihlukile, njengezimbobo, ukuhlushwa okuphansi, indawo enkulu ethile yobuso, ukungacindezeleki okuhlobene kanye nokuqina kwamakhemikhali. Ngemva kokushintsha ukusatshalaliswa kosayizi wezinhlayiya kanye nezakhiwo zobuso bomhlabathi ongahluziwe ngokugaya, ukuhlunga, ukucwilisa, ukuhlukaniswa kokugeleza komoya, ukususa ukungcola kanye nezinye izinqubo zokucubungula, ingasetshenziswa ezidingweni ezahlukahlukene zezimboni njengezithasiselo zopende.