A diatom is a unicellular eukaryotic alga characterized by a silica-containing cell wall called a frustule. The wall typically has two overlapping portions, making the organism a striking example of biologically constructed mineral architecture. Diatoms contribute to photosynthetic production and to movement of silicon through aquatic ecosystems.
Experiments on marine bacterial assemblages connected decay of diatom organic material to accelerated dissolution of the silica wall. [ref]
Accelerated dissolution of diatom silica by marine bacterial assemblages by Kay D. Bidle and Farooq Azam. 1999, abstract and experiments: bacterial processing, organic protection and silica dissolution
The biological and mineral parts of a dead cell therefore do not have independent fates. Removing or altering the surrounding organic material can change how rapidly the mineral component is returned to the dissolved pool. New to topics? Read the docs here!