Dicalite mine, Shasta County: The large mining operation of this huge deposit of Diatomaceous Earth is located just up the road from Big Bend, but it is on the other side of the mountain, so we can not see it. The Madesi people of Big Bend (one of 11 bands in the Pit River Tribe) apparently called this mountain Maho-mahday-Ahko, but early colonialist invaders (aka “settlers”) misunderstood the geology and assumed that the large white ancient slide scar on the Big Bend side of the mountain was a chalk deposit, so it’s now commonly known as “Chalk Mountain” (a misnomer). The white slide and the cliff faces below it resemble a four-legged large animal, so locals call it the “White Buffalo” (meaning an albino American Bison). So this mountain has a double misnomer with these post-invasion names. “Chalk and “Buffalo” are actually Diatomaceous Earth and Bison…

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring, chalk-like powder made from the fossilized remains of microscopic, aquatic organisms called diatoms. It is primarily composed of silica and is used for a variety of tasks ranging from non-toxic pest control to household filtration… The large mining operation of this huge deposit of Diatomaceous Earth is located just up the road from Big Bend, but it is on the other side of the mountain, so we can not see it from the Madesi Valley.

Dicalite Management Group. Burney, California facility produces Dicalite Calcined and Flux-Calcined Diatomaceous Earth products. This deposit is one of the premier commercial fresh-water diatomaceous earth deposits in the world.

Dicalite Burney produces diatomaceous earth filter aids and fillers, including:

• Calcined Filter Aids for fine filtration applications
• Filter Aids for food-grade filtration
• Flux-Calcined Fillers
• Flux-Calcined DE Filter Aids for fast filtration applications

Soil Amendment Farming & Gardening:

When viewed under a microscope, diatomaceous earth looks like thousands of tiny shards of glass. Because it is highly abrasive and absorbent, it acts as a mechanical insecticide against soft-bodied insects and arthropods (such as fleas, ants, beetles, and bed bugs). When a bug crawls through the powder, the particles pierce its waxy protective outer layer, causing it to dehydrate and die.

Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder that eliminates crawling insects and garden pests by piercing their protective outer shells and dehydrating them. It is highly effective at keeping away: www.farmersalmanac.com +2

• Indoor Pests: Bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, fleas, silverfish, and spiders.
• Garden Pests: Aphids, thrips, mites, beetles (including Japanese and flea beetles), and slugs. MIgardener +1

How it Works and Where to Use It

• Inside the House: Lightly dust the powder in dry, secluded areas such as behind baseboards, under appliances, around wall voids, and near cracks or crevices where pests travel.
• Around Pets: Food-grade diatomaceous earth can be used on pet bedding to manage fleas, though it is best to consult with a veterinarian regarding direct application on your pets.
• In the Garden: Dust leaves lightly or create a 2-inch wide protective barrier on the soil around the base of plants. Be careful to keep it away from open, blooming flowers, as it will also kill beneficial pollinators like bees and ladybugs. 

Common Types and Uses

There are two main grades of diatomaceous earth, and their usage differs significantly:

• Food-Grade: Mined from freshwater deposits and processed without added chemicals, food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe to ingest. It is commonly used as a natural, organic pest deterrent in homes and gardens, an anti-caking agent in livestock feed, and sometimes as an additive to promote hair, skin, and nail health.
  
• Filter-Grade (Non-Food Grade): Treated with high heat and often used for industrial purposes. This grade contains a much higher percentage of crystalline silica, making it highly toxic if inhaled or ingested. It is primarily used for swimming pool filters and dynamite manufacturing.

Important Safety Tips

• Use discretion in the garden: Diatomaceous earth is non-discriminatory. While it kills garden pests, it will also harm beneficial, soft-bodied insects and pollinators like bees and ladybugs if applied directly to flowers.
• Keep it dry: It only works when it is perfectly dry. Rain or morning dew will temporarily render the powder useless until it dries out again.
• Protect your lungs: Even food-grade dust can cause severe respiratory irritation if inhaled in large quantities. Always wear a mask or respirator when applying it indoors or outdoors.

Water Pollution and Vestra Work:

Dicalite Minerals Corporation operates a large, open-pit diatomite mine near Burney in Shasta County, California.  Treated storm water is discharged from the facility to an intermittent tributary to Lake Britton. The RWQCB had issued orders to address elevated zinc concentrations as well as settle-able solids, suspended solids, pH, and acute toxicity detected in effluent samples above the limits set in the site-specific Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs).  VESTRA assisted in identifying sources of elevated zinc associated with plant and quarry operations.  Because discharge and background receiving water concentrations are periodically detected above California Toxics Rule (CTR) levels, a site-specific translator was developed to set new dissolved metals criteria.  Through recent negotiations with the RWQCB, VESTRA assisted Dicalite in obtaining coverage under the General Industrial Storm Water Permit for storm water discharges and rescinding the existing WDRs, greatly reducing sampling and monitoring requirements and associated costs.

Additionally, VESTRA completed permitting of an 80-acre expansion of the Dicalite mine.  The company purchased 160 acres of adjoining land which they planned to use for overburden disposal and stockpiling in addition to mineral development.  Shasta County requested that Dicalite submit an updated Reclamation Plan, Use Permit application, and Initial Study.  The project also required preparation of a Mitigated Negative Declaration under CEQA.  VESTRA prepared the updated Reclamation Plan and Initial Study.  In addition, a Use Permit application was completed.  VESTRA biologists performed vegetation mapping and botanical reconnaissance-level surveys, as well as focused surveys for special-status species.  A Biological Characterization Report, including detailed mitigation measures to ensure sensitive species were not affected by the mine expansion activities, was submitted as part of the Initial Study.