This article presents an experimental laboratory study on diatomaceous soil from Mejillones Bay in northern Chile. SEM microscopic observations of the diatom fossils and their mineralogical composition are reported. Despite its low density and high plasticity, the material reaches relatively high yield stress. Over that limit, the soil is highly compressible, presumably due to breakage of the diatom frustules, and presents significant creep strains. Dynamic properties and shear modulus degradation are also reported, where the results of G(max) are consistent with values of V-s measured in-situ.