Geothermal Biomineral

What is Geothermal Biomineral?

Geothermal biominerals are naturally occurring mineral deposits formed where hot, silica-rich geothermal fluids interact with surrounding rocks and sediments over long periods of time. In these environments, dissolved amorphous silica precipitates as light, highly porous siliceous material, often including diatom-rich layers.

Our flagship product, Almina, is a premium geothermal diatomite-enhanced biomineral soil improver. It is designed to:

• supply plant-available silicon in the form of amorphous silica,
• support soil structure and aggregate stability, and
• enhance water retention and moisture dynamics in the root zone.

Unlike conventional diatomite products that are typically derived from non-geothermal lake or marine deposits and optimised for filtration or industrial absorbency, our geothermal biomineral comes from a geothermal field in the Denizli–Sarayköy region of western Türkiye. This setting is characterised by hot, silica-rich fluids and active hydrothermal circulation, which together create a distinct mineral and textural profile compared with standard diatomite sources.

In addition, the deposit we work with shows naturally occurring alginic acid enrichment associated with the diatomite. Combined with the geothermal origin, this gives the material properties that are different from generic diatomite grades commonly used for pools or industrial filters.

A geothermal and microbiologically influenced origin

Geothermal silica systems around the world are well known for hosting specialised microbial communities adapted to elevated temperatures and unusual water chemistry. These communities often form biofilms on silica surfaces; their extracellular polymers and organic remains can become incorporated into the silica matrix as it precipitates, leaving behind organic-rich coatings and reactive sites at micro- to nano-scale.

Studies from several geothermal regions show that silica deposits can preserve microbial textures and biomolecules, and that microbial activity can influence how and where silica is laid down. The result is often a complex mineral–organic architecture rather than simply "inert rock".

The Denizli–Sarayköy geothermal area in Türkiye sits within a similar tectonic and hydrothermal framework, with high heat flow and active fluid–rock interaction. While individual microbial species are not the focus of our product description, this kind of geothermal setting is typically associated with distinct microbial and chemical signatures compared with non-geothermal diatomite deposits. This helps to explain why the resulting biomineral behaves differently in soil.

The Science Behind Geothermal Biominerals

This geothermal biomineral technology builds on the combined behaviour of diatomite, amorphous silica and a naturally associated organic fraction.

Key mechanisms include:

1. Plant-available silicon

Diatomite and amorphous silica are recognised sources of plant-available silicon. In many crops, silicon uptake is associated with stronger tissues and improved tolerance to abiotic stress such as drought, salinity and heat. Geothermal diatomite provides a slowly available source of silica that can contribute to this silicon pool over time, alongside good nutrition and overall management.

2. Soil physical properties and water retention

The highly porous structure and large internal surface area of diatom frustules mean that diatomite can act as a physical soil conditioner. When blended into the soil, it can support:

• improved aggregate stability,
• modified bulk density, and
• increased water absorption and water-holding capacity,

particularly in lighter or structurally weak soils. In practice, this often translates into more even wetting and drying cycles in the root zone.

3. Mineral–organic synergy

In our geothermal biomineral, the porous diatomite framework is associated with a naturally present alginic-acid-rich phase. Alginic acid and alginate materials are known to behave as soil-conditioning agents and hydrogels, improving aggregation, water retention and cation exchange capacity.

In combination, the mineral skeleton provides porosity, reactive silica and structural persistence, while the organic matrix contributes binding, water-holding and ion-exchange functionality. Together they operate as a mineral–organic soil improver rather than as a purely mineral filler.

4. Nutrient retention and rooting environment

Both diatomite and alginate-rich phases offer reactive surfaces and functional groups that can adsorb cations and interact with soil colloids. This can help buffer nutrient availability in the root zone and support a more stable environment under fluctuating moisture conditions.

5. A supportive habitat for soil biology

By improving aeration, moisture dynamics and aggregate stability, mineral–organic soil improvers can contribute to more stable micro-habitats in the rhizosphere. While our geothermal biomineral is not a microbial product and does not contain added micro-organisms, the physical and chemical changes it supports can help create a more favourable environment for beneficial soil life.

The Alginic Acid Advantage

The presence of alginic acid in our geothermal biomineral is a key differentiator versus conventional diatomite.

Alginic acid (and its salts, alginates) is a natural polysaccharide widely studied as a soil-conditioning agent and hydrogel component. Research on alginate-based materials shows that they can:

• improve soil aggregation and mechanical stability,
• increase water-holding capacity and slow the release of nutrients,
• contribute to cation exchange capacity and help buffer salinity and pH in some contexts, and
• influence how water moves through coarse or structured soils.

In our geothermal biomineral, this alginic-acid-rich fraction works synergistically with the diatomite:

• the mineral skeleton provides porosity, reactive silica and structural persistence,
• the organic matrix contributes binding, water-holding and ion-exchange functionality, and
• together they act as a mineral–organic soil improver rather than as a purely mineral or purely organic input.

We position this material strictly as a soil improver / soil conditioner. It is not presented as a fertiliser in the strict legal sense, nor as a pesticide, biocide, plant protection product, feed additive or food or health supplement.

Evidence-Based Agronomy

Our geothermal biomineral approach is anchored in both peer-reviewed science and long-term field work.

From the literature, we see consistent themes:

• diatomite and amorphous silica amendments can improve soil physical quality and water retention, especially in sandy or structurally weak soils,
• diatomaceous earth and related materials can act as a source of plant-available silicon, which is associated with stronger tissues and improved resilience under abiotic stress, and
• alginate-based conditioners can complement mineral amendments by improving aggregation, water dynamics and cation exchange behaviour.

Alongside this, multi-year field experience in crops such as cereals, potatoes, industrial crops, vines, fruit and olives shows that geothermal diatomite-based protocols can support more stable performance under stress when they are integrated into well-designed nutrition, irrigation and crop-protection programmes.

We translate these findings into soil-first protocols that:

• focus on long-term soil physical quality and root-zone function,
• are intended to complement, not replace, existing agronomy, and
• are always adapted to local soils, climates and cropping systems.

For technical specifications, application rates and field trial summaries, please refer to our product documentation or contact our agronomy team.