What is Diatomaceous Earth (also called DE )

The information below is derived from two sources that help explain what Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is and where it comes from. I used this information because I felt it was in more layman’s terms.

Properties:

Diatomaceous earth is a powder produced from diatomite, a sedimentary rock composed of the skeletal remains of single-cell aquatic plants called diatoms. As one diatom generation is replaced by another over millions of years, the skeletons began to collect on the seabed and on the bottom of lakes to form diatomite deposits. The remarkably complex skeletons are unusual in that they are composed of natural silica with a high degree of unique structure.

Diatomite represents a very rare occurrence – a mineral silica that has an elaborate structure worked by nature into a labyrinth of tiny holes. No other silica source that is mined or chemically prepared has such a structure. The key to the exceptional properties of diatomite lies more in the microstructure – each diatom is peppered with thousands of holes, usually of three distinct sizes, ranging from a few microns in diameter down to submicron diameters. The number and sizes of holes vary with the species.

The combination of the natural silica composition, the overall structure of the diatom particles, and the network of holes in the structure are responsible for it's unique properties.

Geology:

The skeletal remains that make up the deposits flourished as diatoms in prehistoric waters across the globe. Most are fossilized, being laid down in the Miocene period, some 15 million years ago, and most are from freshwater sources.

Source of this information is from:

http://www.imerys-perfmins.com/diatomite/diatomaceous-earth.htm

Imerys Performance Minerals

 This information about DE is from an article by Heather Smith Thomas:

 DE is composed of "leftovers from prehistoric sea vegetation" that accumulated at the bottom of large bodies of water. "It is a silica powder - the fossils of the dead diatoms.”

 “Diatoms are basically one-celled plants, with silica as their cell walls. This primitive plant has 2 parts that fit together, looking like a little pill box - microscopic, of course. That's why they are called diatoms; dia meaning 'two'."

 The diatomaceous earth beds were created by the algae remains, building up over thousands of years. This sediment resembles chalk, but the material is much lighter in weight.

"The great thing about silica powder is that it  has the ability to transmute organic silica into calcium," says Sinner. "Calcium is the most prevalent mineral on the planet and silica is not far behind. It is basically what gives plants their stiffness and flexibility."

"When you think about things like where a dairy cow gets all the calcium she cranks out as in milk over the years, there's not nearly as much calcium going into her body (in the form of calcium) as she is putting out in the milk, and the answer is silica - from the plants she eats. So diatomaceous earth is a great way to supplement calcium, in a form the body can use or not, as needed. This is better than force-feeding too much of a calcium supplement that might upset the calcium-phosphorus ratio in the body. Diatomaceous earth is a more natural way to do it, in conjunction with a balanced mineral program."

 The whole article can be found at:

http://www.naturalmobility.com.au/images/stories/natural%20worming%20with%20diatomaceous%20earth.pdf

The quoted remarks in her article are from: Judy Sinner, Communications Director for Dynamite Specialty Products (a company that uses diatomaceous earth in some of its products)

 About the author: Heather Smith Thomas is the author of thirteen books including “Storey's Guide to Raising Horses”, and her latest, “Storey's Guide to Training Horses”. She has written more than 6,000 articles for hundreds of publications, including “Chronicle of the Horse”, “Equus”, “Quarter Horse Journal”, “Horse & Rider”, and “Horse Illustrated”. At their cattle ranch in rural Idaho, Heather and her husband have bred, raised and trained horses for nearly 40 years.

Note: Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia gives more detailed information about what DE is, but it covers Diatomaceous Earth in all it’s types, forms and applications and doesn’t specifically focus on the DE I carry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth