ʻO ka honua Diatomaceous kahi ʻano pōhaku sedimentary siliceous biogenic, i haku ʻia me nā koena diatom kahiko. ʻO kona ʻano kemika he SiO2 nui, nona ka liʻiliʻi o Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, K2O, Na2O, P2O5 a me nā mea olaola. ʻO nā hoʻohana nui o ka diatomite he mau mea kōkua kānana, nā mea hoʻopihapiha, nā mea hoʻopili, nā mea lawe catalytic, nā mea kūkulu hale aloha i ke kaiapuni a pēlā aku.