📅 April 2026 · ⏱ 5 min read · BSiO₂ Pty Ltd
Diatomaceous earth (DE) — also known as diatomite, kieselguhr, or biogenic amorphous silica — is naturally formed, soft sedimentary mineral formed from the fossilised skeletal remains of single-celled aquatic algae called diatoms. These microscopic organisms have inhabited Earth's lakes and oceans for hundreds of millions of years. When diatoms die, their intricate silica-rich cell walls — called frustules — sink to the bed of the water body and accumulate in layers over millions of years, forming the deposits we mine today.
The result is a lightweight, highly porous, chemically inert mineral with a remarkable combination of properties — high surface area, excellent absorbency, mechanical abrasiveness, and an amorphous (non-crystalline) silica structure — that make it useful in more than 150 known commercial applications spanning agriculture, food manufacturing, construction, industrial safety, health, and emerging technology.
The scientific name for the silica found in diatomaceous earth is biogenic amorphous silica (BSiO₂). This term tells us two critically important things about the mineral:
This distinction is not merely academic. The hazardous form of silica — the one associated with silicosis and lung disease — is crystalline silica, found in concrete dust, sandstone, and quartz. Amorphous silica has a completely different molecular structure and a dramatically different health profile. It is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group 3 — not classifiable as a carcinogen — in contrast to crystalline silica which is Group 1.
Not all diatomaceous earth is the same. Some DE products — particularly those used in swimming pool filtration — are calcined (heat-treated above 1,000°C) or flux-calcined. This heat treatment converts the safe amorphous silica into crystalline silica, and calcined DE products can contain up to 70% crystalline silica. These products are NOT suitable for food, animal, or health supplement applications.
BSiO₂ product is never calcined. Our DE goes from the deposit through crushing and screening only — no heat treatment, no chemical additives. The safe amorphous structure is preserved from ground to bag.
Australia currently imports between 15,000 and 20,000 tonnes of diatomaceous earth and related silicon dioxide products annually. There is currently no other known Australian domestic producer of a naturally formed, non-calcined, micronised food-grade biogenic amorphous silica with independent laboratory certification.
BSiO₂ Pty Ltd mines and processes diatomaceous earth in Far North Queensland, supplying wholesale buyers across East Coast Australia, Darwin, and South Australia in 1 tonne FIBC bulka bags. Our product is independently certified by:
Contact Richard West on 0418 465 707 for product grades, pricing, and technical documentation.
