1. n. [Drilling Fluids]
A contamination problem caused by Ca+2 ions, usually occurring in freshwater, seawater, and other low-salinity and low-hardness mud systems. Soluble calcium comes into a mud from various sources: gypsum- or anhydrite-bearing strata, unset cement and hardness ions in makeup water, or from an influx of formation water. Ca+2 can flocculate colloidal clays and precipitate large anionic polymers that contain carboxylate groups, such as an acrylate polymer. On the other hand, some mud types tolerate calcium, in which case calcium is not considered a contaminant.
See related terms: anion, calcium mud, clay-water interaction, colloid, deflocculated mud, flocculation, formation water, gyp mud, hardness ion, lime mud, seawater mud
