diatomite - hand specimen of Monterey formation diatomite from Newport Back Bay for Sale

diatomite - hand specimen of Monterey formation diatomite from Newport Back Bay For Sale

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diatomite - hand specimen of Monterey formation diatomite from Newport Back Bay:
$8.20

If making more than one purchase, please read the note following thered textbelow!

Hand specimen of Monterey Formation diatomite from Newport Back Bay, Orange County, California

Diatomite or diatomaceous earth is a sedimentary rock composed of the siliceous cage-like shells of diatoms, single-celled algae that live in the shallow water of lakes and the sea. As they die there is a constant rain of their shells onto the seabed and lake bottoms, where they accumulate to form chalk-like diatomite. The shells of diatoms are made of opal, so unlike calcareous chalk, diatomite will not effervesce with a drop of hydrochloric acid.

Diatoms extract the silica of their shells from the water they live in. It takes special conditions to form a deposit of pure diatomite - active volcanism makes silica available, while very cold water inhibits the growth of foraminifera, the plankton that have shells composed of calcium carbonate. Diatomite forms in high elevation lakes and in polar seas, and is found where similar conditions existed in the past.

This marine diatomite is from an exposure in the cliffs ringing Newport Back Bay in Orange County, California. The Monterey Formation is the source rock for much of the oil produced in California, thanks to the diatoms. Microphoto of some of the species found in this diatomite courtesy Anne Gleich.

Diatomite has industrial uses in filtration, in insulation and cat litter, as a filler in rubber, paint, cosmetics and plastics, as a mechanical insecticide and as a stabilizer in dynamite. It is also used as a polishing agent in toothpaste and as a component of some cement blends.

These hand specimens are 1 1/2" to 2" thick. We have cut some blocks for the extraction of diatoms. Not a particularly clean diatomite, with some clay admixed.

If you want attractive hand specimens for the classroom, enter "lacustrine" in the store search bar, on the right below the photo of the mineral collectors on the home page. That will take you to the lacustrine diatomite we have in stock.

Select a specimen: When more than one specimen is shown, you can select a particular specimen by telling us what is in the photo with it - a black mechanical pencil, a silver and black pen, or one of those plus some number of coins, or you can let us make the selection.

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