Show diatomaceous DIA EARTH EAR H with special reference to nevada by C W davis Diatom diatomaceous accous earth consists almost entirely of the remains of minute flowerless aquatic plants known as diatoms the name diatomaceous earth therefore is to be preferred to others such as trade names inappropriate terms or names correctly applied to some other product the following names should therefore not be used for diatomaceous earth earth diatomite abler berg mehl english rottenstone tripoli tr ti i polite fossil earth earth white peat tel lurine ran danite cessa tite or any trade name diatoms live in practically all kinds of water fresh or salt hot or cold still or running and under different conditions of depth and pressure these minute plants assimilate inorganic salts from their environment and produce skeletons of silica much as mollusks secrete lime and form their shells when the diatoms die they settle to the bottom together er with anything else which may be present such as sand clay or volcanic ash the organic matter gradually disappears leaving the skeletons of the diatoms which with impurities make up the deposits of ni leous earth these det deposits which are still being formed atthe at the present time and which were produced throughout very different epochs were more prolifically formed in the tertiary so that the thickest beds so far discovered are of that age composition of diatomaceous bearth the principal constituent of diatomaceous earth is amorphous or opaline silica which if uncontaminated should contain about 94 lo 10 silica sio and 6 combined water ha 0 when thoroughly air dried commercial Cominer cial material contains more or less foreign material such that its composition varies within the following limi limits f silica sio 0 oxides of iron and aluminum feo aloa 80 0 02 2 0 o time T anle ime and magnesia cao oxides oides of potassium and sodium ka amo 50 50 00 oo 00 4 40 0 clo water and organic matter hao C N 0 etc 1500 chemical properties pure diatomaceous earth reacts as does ordinary opal onal the air dried material gives off water on ignition is easily soluble in hydrofluoric acid and in all strengths of sodium carbonate solution for some uses uses the c chemical properties are not important except that im impurities Puri ties may increase the apparent density and cause the assistant and precious experiment station chemist nhe ehe mist rare in coop co op nev department of commerce bureau of mines extracted extrac tea ration rati on with the of nevada this article is irom brorn the file of the complete paper accous diatomaceous Diatom this babl tak n from Gon goldwin dwin N marketing Afar of barth arth I 1 E 21 J J P V 11 5 P 1152 1923 P F C mining districts and mineral resources of nevada reno eno nevada 1923 material to become colored either in the raw state or when heated other uses require that the material be free from impurities that would affect fluxing flexing flu xing affect the solubility in different reagents or introduce objectionable substances in any product physical properties prop arties diatomaceous D aiato iato maveous earth when pure is usually white but may be dark colored from the organic matter of diatoms that has not no yet disappeared impurities may cause the material to have a variety of colors such as gray brown pink or green due to its method of formation diatomaceous earth is usually soft very friable and of low apparent density being filled with billions of microscopic air cells but due to various conditions a single de may contain all graduations from this material to the hardest of compact flints over different forms of diatoms have been classified and although mandof many of these forms are extremely small a magnification of to diameter shows that the skeletons give the appearance of having been elaborately carved and ornamented with delicate tracings A few diatoms are as large as the head of a pin but the great majority are microscopic cro each skeleton form consists of two exact counterparts ter parts sliding one upon the other like tiny pill boxes and the shape size and condition of these particles gives to diatomaceous earth the physical characteristics that determine its commercial application among the important physical properties are high absorbent power to which clarification and detergent effect are due extreme porosity with the resultant low apparent density and large surface the porosity causing the material to be a superb filtering medium and the large for catalysts innumerable minute surface affording a support enclosed air cells which remain intact on reducing to a powder and cause it to be a poor conductor of heat and sound angular nature weakness and low compressive strength which gives an abrasive effect without scratching uses of diatomaceous Diat bous earth to the producer of diatomaceous earth its most important industrial application is as a filtering and clarifying material the consumption for this purpose is is lare larve e and although the material must be of good grade fulfilling definite requirements and requires special stecial preparation its price is relatively so high that it wi will 11 stand shipping to distant points To ints A second extensive use for this material is as an insulator this field is is at Tre cresent present sent being greatly enlarged as the economy effected by its use is beginning to be more widely appreciated appreciate cl due to edrica educational dional advertising although crude material requiring little preparation may be used in many cases its selling price is low so that it can not be profit profitably ably shipped other uses for diatomaceous earth which are only of local importance or which consume relatively small amounts of material maybe may be classified as building material as a filler as an abrasive as an absorbent as a chemical reagent and for miscellaneous purposes occurrence and production in nevada lincoln t has collected the following information concerning the occurrence of diatomaceous earth in nevada deposits occur both north and south of jessup and on skull creek eight miles southeast of eastgate in churchill county and small shipments have been made from the deposit south of jessup an extensive deposit of high grade material one and one half miles north of vivian in the carlin district elko county is owned by the tri 0 lite products company who have a mill at vivian said to have a capacity of twelve tons per day producing several grades of product for special i us uses es diatomaceous earth occurs in the vicinity of af grow drow springs in the goldfield district and near millers in esmeralda ni meralda eralda county the nature products company owns over acres of diatomaceous earth lands near black springs nye county and is said to be mining the material for the production of tooth powder and dental cream some diatomaceous earth of good grade is said to have been shipped from a deposit located in the velvet district pershing county nine miles northeast of virginia city at the head of long valley in the chalk hills district of storey county there is a deposit owned by the electro milican company of new york 30 40 feet thick first grade material is only three feet thick but 40 per cent of good diatomaceous earth can be obtained from the rest by the use of a hatchet it is said that several cars are shipped to new york annually for the manufacture of silver polish |