Siliceous earth

2021

Resources

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

The anticipated economic resources of the siliceous earth amount to 2,223 thousand tonnes. Till 2014, the exploitation of Lechówka II deposit was carried out, whereas nowadays all of the raw material deposits are abandoned. Therefore, the resources did not change in 2021. Poland is not the country rich in the porous siliceous raw materials of a high quality. The scarcity of the raw material is balanced by the import. In Poland, there is only one prognostic area of the siliceous earth occurrence with the significant resources (3.13 million tonnes) – indicated in the vicinities of Janów village near Chełm*.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

* Wołkowicz K., 2020 – ‘Ziemia krzemionkowa (siliceous earth)’. In: ‘Bilans perspektywicznych zasobów kopalin Polski wg stanu na 31.12.2018 r.’ (eds. Szamałek K., Szuflicki M., Mizerski W.): 359-361. PIG-PIB, Warszawa [in Polish].

2020

Resources

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

The anticipated economic resources of the siliceous earth amount to 2,223 thousand tonnes. Till 2014, the exploitation of Lechówka II deposit was carried out, nowadays all of the raw material deposits are abandoned. Therefore, the resources did not change in 2020. There are not enough resources of the porous siliceous raw materials of a high quality in Poland. The scarcity of the raw material is balanced by the import. In Poland, there is only one prognostic area of the siliceous earth occurrence with the significant resources (3.13 million tonnes) – indicated in the vicinities of Janów village near Chełm*.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

* Wołkowicz K., 2020 – ‘Ziemia krzemionkowa (siliceous earth)’. In: ‘Bilans perspektywicznych zasobów kopalin Polski wg stanu na 31.12.2018 r.’ (eds. Szamałek K., Szuflicki M., Mizerski W.): 359-361. PIG-PIB, Warszawa [in Polish].

2019

Resources

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

The anticipated economic resources of the siliceous earth amount to 2,223 thousand tonnes. Till 2014, the exploitation of Lechówka II deposit was carried out, nowadays all of the raw material deposits are abandoned. Therefore, the resources did not change in 2019. There are not enough resources of the porous siliceous raw materials of a high quality in Poland. The scarcity of the raw material is balanced by the import. In Poland, there is only one prognostic area of the siliceous earth occurrence with the significant resources (3.13 million tonnes) – indicated in the vicinities of Janów village near Chełm*.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

* Wołkowicz K., 2020 – ‘Ziemia krzemionkowa (siliceous earth)’. In: ‘Bilans perspektywicznych zasobów kopalin Polski wg stanu na 31.12.2018 r.’ (eds. Szamałek K., Szuflicki M., Mizerski W.): 359-361. PIG-PIB, Warszawa.

2018

The siliceous earth occurs in the result of the Upper-Cretaceous and Early-Tertiary opokas and gaizes hypergenic weathering. It is built mainly from the opal. The siliceous earth resembles diatomites in the physical features as: – a high porosity and absorptive capacity; – a refractoriness; – an acid activity resistance; – a high SiO₂ content. It is used in a chemical industry as a carrier for catalysts, mineral fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in the agriculture as well as a constituent of a synthetic foundry mass.

Deposits of siliceous earth occur in tectonic troughs at the margin of the Holy Cross Mts. (Piotrowice and Dąbrówka) and in the Lublin Upland (Lechówka), in the form of sedimentary covers overlain by the Oligocene rocks.

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

Anticipated economic resources of the siliceous earth amount to 2,223 thousand tonnes. Until recently, the exploitation has been temporarily carried out only from Lechówka II deposit. Since 2014 the raw material has not been exploited, therefore the resources have not changed in 2018.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

2017

Siliceous earth occurs as a result of the Upper-Cretaceous and Early-Tertiary opokas and gaizes weathering. It is built mainly from the opal. Siliceous earth resembles diatomites in the physical features as: – a high porosity and absorptive capacity; – a refractoriness; – the acid activity resistance; – a high SiO₂ content. It is used in a chemical industry as a carrier for catalysts, mineral fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in agriculture as well as a raw material for the refination and filtration and constituent of a synthetic moulding mass.

Deposits of siliceous earth occur mainly in tectonic troughs at the margin of the Holy Cross Mts. (Piotrowice and Dąbrówka deposits) and in the Lublin Upland (Lechówka deposit), in the form of sedimentary covers overlain by the Oligocene rocks.

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

Anticipated economic resources of siliceous earth amounted to 2,223 thousand tonnes in 2017. Until recently, the exploitation has been temporarily carried out from Lechówka II deposit. Since 2014 the raw material has not been exploited and the resources have not changed in 2017.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

2016

Siliceous earth occurs as a result of Upper-Cretaceous and Early-Tertiary opokas and gaizes weathering. It is built mainly from opal. Siliceous earth resembles diatomites in physical features. It is used in a chemical industry as a carrier for catalysts, mineral fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in agriculture as well as a raw material for refination and filtration and constituent of synthetic moulding mass.

Deposits of siliceous earth occur mainly in tectonic troughs at the margin of the Holy Cross Mts. (Piotrowice and Dąbrówka deposits) and in the Lublin Upland (Lechówka deposit), in the form of sedimentary covers overlain by Oligocene rocks.

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

Anticipated economic resources amounted to 2,223 thousand tonnes in 2016. Nowadays there is concession for exploitation issued only for Lechówka II deposit. The output from this deposit has been carried out temporarily, since 2014 the raw material has not been exploited.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

2015

Siliceous earth resembles diatomites in physical features and, therefore, finds similar use in the industries. It is used as carrier for catalysts in chemical processes and for mineral fertilizers and herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in agriculture as well as raw material for refination and filtration and constituent of synthetic moulding mass. Siliceous earth differs from diatomites in the mode of origin as it is the product of decalcification of opoka sedimentary rocks and mainly built of opal, a mineraloid gel.

Deposits of siliceous earth occur mainly in tectonic troughs at the margin of the Holy Cross Mts (Piotrowice and Dąbrówka deposits) and in the Lublin Upland (Lechówka deposit), in the form of sedimentary covers overlain by Oligocene rocks.

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Anticipated economic resources amounted to 2,223 thousand tonnes in 2014. Nowadays there is concession for exploitation issued only for Lechówka II deposit. This deposit is exploited temporarily, since 2013 raw material has not been exploited.

Table 1. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

2013

Siliceous earth resembles diatomites in physical features and, therefore, finds similar use in the industries. It is used as carrier for catalysts in chemical processes and for mineral fertilizers and herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in agriculture as well as raw material for refination and filtration and constituent of synthetic moulding mass. Siliceous earth differs from diatomites in the mode of origin as it is the product of decalcification of opoka sedimentary rocks and mainly built of opal, a mineraloid gel.

Deposits of siliceous earth occur mainly in tectonic troughs at the margin of the Holy Cross Mts (Piotrowice and Dąbrówka deposits) and in the Lublin Upland (Lechówka deposit), in the form of sedimentary covers overlain by Oligocene rocks.

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

Anticipated economic resources amounted to 2,223 thousand tonnes in 2013. Nowadays there is concession for exploitation issued only for Lechówka II deposit. This deposit is exploited temporarily, in 2013 raw material was not exploited.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

2012

Siliceous earth resembles diatomites in physical features and, therefore, finds similar use in the industries. It is used as carrier for catalysts in chemical processes and for mineral fertilizers and herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in agriculture as well as raw material for refination and filtration and constituent of synthetic moulding mass. Siliceous earth differs from diatomites in the mode of origin as it is the product of decalcification of opoka sedimentary rocks and mainly built of opal, a mineraloid gel.

Deposits of siliceous earth occur mainly in tectonic troughs at the margin of the Holy Cross Mts (Piotrowice and Dąbrówka deposits) and in the Lublin Upland (Lechówka deposit), in the form of sedimentary covers overlain by Oligocene rocks.

The Lechówka and Piotrowice deposits have similar quality parameters – apparent density between 263 and 371 g/l, R₂O₃ content in the range of 5.5-7.0 %. The Dąbrówka deposit has worse parameters – R₂O₃ content above 8.0 % and average apparent density 580 g/l.

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

Anticipated economic resources amounted to 2,223 thousand tonnes in 2012 (almost 50 % in A+B+C₁ categories). Domestic demand for siliceous earth is fully covered by import.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda

2011

Siliceous earth resembles diatomites in physical features and, therefore, finds similar use in the industries. It is used as carrier for catalysts in chemical processes and for mineral fertilizers and herbicides, pesticides and fungicides in agriculture as well as raw material for refination and filtration and constituent of synthetic moulding mass. Siliceous earth differs from diatomites in the mode of origin as it is the product of decalcification of opoka sedimentary rocks and mainly built of opal, a mineraloid gel.

Deposits of siliceous earth occur mainly in tectonic troughs at the margin of the Holy Cross Mts (Piotrowice and Dąbrówka deposits) and in the Lublin Upland (Lechówka), in the form of sedimentary covers overlain by Oligocene rocks.

The Lechówka II deposit is the only siliceous earth deposit currently exploited in Poland but the production is discontinuous and very low, changing from a few tones in 2002 to none in 2008. Exploitation of the remaining deposits has been phased out in the last decades due to unsatisfactory quality of the obtained raw material, mainly usable for making insulation powder.

Table 1 shows resources and the current state of exploration and development of siliceous earth deposits in Poland.

Table 1. Siliceous earth – million tonnes

Anticipated economic resources amounted to 2,223 thousand tonnes in 2011 (almost 50 % in A+B+C₁ categories). Domestic demand for siliceous earth is fully covered by import.

Table 2. List of siliceous earth deposits – thousand tonnes

Prepared by: Robert Bońda