Diatomaceous earth quarry

---

Diatomaceous earth quarry. Exposed in this quarry near St Bauzile in mid-eastern France is a soft, white sedimentary deposit called diatomite. The diatomite is formed by the deposition, in a lake or inland sea, of the tiny, siliceous tests of myriad planktonic microorganisms, single-celled protozoans known as diatoms or radiolarians. The diatomite is overlain by dark brownish basalt, a massive volcanic rock, here solidified in a columnar mode. The diatomite, a source of very pure silica, is mined from this quarry.

---

Size: 4189px × 5290px
Location:
Photo credit: © DIRK WIERSMA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -, basalt, bauzile, columnar, deposit, diatomite, diatoms, earth, europe, european, fauna, france, french, geological, geology, lake, layers, mining, plankton, planktonic, protozoan, protozoans, quarry, radiolaria, radiolarians, science, sea, sediment, sedimentary, silica, silicate, siliceous, st, volcanic