Intermediate Graded DIATOMITE

INTERMEDIATE GRADE

The intermediary grades between our popular Kleensorb brand (>2mm) and our finest product grade, Absorbacide, are used in a diverse variety of industries.

NURSERY GRADE

Nursery Grade: 0.9-2.0 mm

As the name suggests, the “Nursery grade” is very popular as an ingredient in potting mixes. It acts as a wetting agent holding water and slowly releasing it to the young seedlings. As importantly, it provides plant available silica to the young plant.

Silica is present in plants in amounts equivalent to those of such macronutrient elements as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Silica, like calcium, strengthens cell walls resulting in more robust and efficient plants. Silica improves brix levels and flavour. Plants produce more flowers and pollen is more viable resulting in a better fruit set. The CSIRO in Townsville have demonstrated that big increases in yield can be achieved from sugar cane by adding plant available silica to the soil.

In the soil, soluble silica in the form of silicic acid plays a number of important roles. It negates aluminium, manganese and heavy metal toxicity, improves the plant availability of calcium and phosphorous and increases the number of beneficial soil organisms. It also improves the cation exchange capacity and conductivity.

Silica is deposited as opaline silica in plant tissue. This toughens the plant making it more resistant to fungal attack. A high silica content also makes the plant less palatable to insects.

This material can be sold in 35 litre bags with 50 bags per pallet as a minimum order or in bulka bags containing approximately 500Kg's

GRANULAR AND DIATOMITE FINES

Granular Grade: 0.6-0.9 mm and Diatomite Fines: <0.6mm

Diatomite is supplied to the building industry in the manufacture of light-weight building bricks, blocks, tiles boards and sheets. It is used as an additive to cements, plasters, mortars and stuccos. The addition of diatomite enhances the fire resistance and acoustic properties of these raw materials. In plasters made from gypsum, cement or lime, diatomite can be added either as a substitute for sand or as an additional ingredient to impart new properties. It can result in increased spreadability and decreased density and although the plaster is structurally weaker, there is an increase in the hardness in the surface when set. Substitution of diatomite for a large proportion of the sand in a lime-sand mortar or plaster imparts excellent heat and sound insulation properties.

Fine diatomite can be used as a filler, particularly where a light-weight inert filler is required. It is frequently added to paints, varnishes, lacquers, paper, insecticides, plastics asphalt, fertilizers, welding rods, printing inks, sealing compounds, explosives and matches.

The finer diatomite grades are as good as or even more absorbent than Kleensorb. Fine diatomite absorbs more than 200% its weight of water

The low thermal conductivity of diatomite makes it one of the best insulators over a wide range of temperatures. It is also used as a mild abrasive . As a powder, paste or suspension, it is employed in metal and car finish polishes, toothpastes, powders, soaps, scouring compounds and match heads.

Diatomite is used in the manufacture of alkaline earth silicates and is also important in the making of pigments, ceramic glazes and as a pozzolanic component in concrete.

An important use of diatomite is as a support or carrier for catalysts, as a promoter of reactions, in emulsion breaking, in settling out processes, and in foundry operations.

Diatomite has a growing use in agriculture. For a long time it has been used as an addition to ammonium nitrate fertilizers to prevent caking and ensure even spreading. It is important as a carrier for other agricultural products, particularly fertilizers. Our own manufactured product, Molodri is an example of the effectiveness of diatomite in this capacity. The use of diatomite in combination with other biogenic combinations is a key to its future uses as a beneficial for both plants and animals.

Both these products come in 20Kg bags with 40 bags per pallet as a minimum order or in bulka bags containing approximately 500Kg's