Diatomites are formed in both marine and freshwater systems where the processes of diatom growth, preservation and sedimentation conspire to produce diatomaceous sediment. Diatomite formation seems to have been particularly prevalent in the Miocene, the Plio-Pleistocene and during the early to middle- Holocene periods. Because of properties conferred to diatomite sediment by high silica content, high surface area and fine grained texture, extensive natural deposits are often exploited commercially. Such deposits, either marine or freshwater in origin, mostly occur as terrestrial exposures that are mined in both hemispheres of the globe. Commercial extraction of diatomite began less than 200 years ago but it has been exploited for building purposes over at least the last two millennia. Diatomites have a variety of modern uses and are a useful additive for improving the quality of cements and other commercial materials as well as having medical and technological applications. Diatomites are also important in the earth and natural sciences, notably in Quaternary paleoenvironmental research where sediment records of diatom species can provide valuable evidence of past environmental changes, notably of climate and aquatic ecosystems. Diatom species diversity in time and space has intrinsic value for revealing species evolution and relationships between algal groups. Potential conflicts between commercial use and the scientific value of diatomites are commented upon and establishing protected diatomite heritage areas is advocated. 

Diatomites: Their formation, distribution and uses

Abstract Beginning in the Levant at the end of the Pleistocene era 11,700 years ago and emerging subsequently in other regions, the advent of farming and food production sustained a massive expansion of human populations, facilitated a host of socioeconomic and technological developments, and transformed much of the world’s land surface. The capacity of farming to support a rapidly growing population may appear to explain why farming first began. However, fundamental questions remain, including whether farming was ever a preferred subsistence option for mobile foragers—and for early farmers. In addition to the failure of farming to appear anywhere in the world prior to the early Holocene, the security and flexibility of hunting and gathering contrasts with the disadvantages associated with relying on farming for food. In querying the prevailing food paradigm, it is argued that fibre production for woven cloth in response to warmer, moister climate regimes in the early Holocene tipped the balance in favour of farming. Contingent on complex clothing acquiring social functions of dress and modesty during the late Pleistocene, and considered in conjunction with the early farming dispersal hypothesis, the textile hypothesis circumvents unfounded presumptions and offers a parsimonious explanatory paradigm for the origins of farming. 

The Textile Hypothesis

Early to Middle Holocene hydroclimate changes in the Guern El Louläilet depressions, Algerian Sahara

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Early to Middle Holocene hydroclimate changes in the Guern El Louläilet depressions, Algerian Sahara