# calcium carbonate **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2000, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calcium-carbonate/36998 "2000-10-15T15:15:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bigneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6f9a4e/32.png) [@bigneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bigneck)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calcium-carbonate/36998/1 "2000-10-15T15:15:34Z")
How is calcium carbonate extracted from sea water? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calcium-carbonate/36998/2 "2000-10-15T18:32:22Z")
Ask a clam. Or ask Professor Hilbertz. (I’m not going to fully vouch for this, since the remainder of the website seems a bit cracked, but …) > [@](#): > > In the mid 70’s Professor Hilbertz was able to somewhat duplicate the techniques of the shellfish. When he ran a small electrical current through wire mesh immersed in the ocean, he discovered the minerals dissolved in the seawater, principally calcium carbonate, would accretiate onto the wire. The stronger the electrical current, the more rapidly the minerals accretiated. With a minimal current he was able to create a wall of calcium carbonate 1" thick in just a few months. [http://www.celestopea.com/seament2.html](http://www.celestopea.com/seament2.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calcium-carbonate/36998/3 "2000-10-15T19:07:05Z")
Inorganic calcium carbonate precipitation in seawater occurs when temperature increases. A temperature increase results in carbon dioxide escaping to the atmosphere, thereby reducing the solubility of the dissolved calcium. This happens in shallow water. In the deep sea, lower temperatures and increased pressure increase the solubility of calcium.