"Tripoli", a new type quartzose industrial material, has long been mistranslated into diatomaceous earth in China, and this obstructs people from recognizing and looking for this kind of mineral material. This paper traces "tripoli"to its origin, correctly elaborates its essential cbaracter, and analyzes the cause for its long mistranslation. Finally, the authors give it a correct chinese translation, namely. powder quaxtz, and suggest abolishing all existing mistranslations.