The Alberta Government is introducing an amendment to the Emblems of Alberta Act, making Ammolite the official gemstone of Alberta. 

There is no official gemstone currently recognized in the Emblems of Alberta Act. Passing this amendment will recognize Ammolite as an official emblem of Alberta, alongside other official emblems such as the Coat of Arms Flag and the wild rose. 

Ron Orr, Minister of Culture for the Province of Alberta, says Ammolite is an excellent way to represent the province. 

“Ammolite is an important part of our heritage and economy. Recognizing Ammolite as Alberta’s official gemstone reflects the stone's unique nature and our province and helps fulfill recommendation 25 of the Fair Deal Panel.” 

According to geology.com “Ammolite produces a spectacular display of iridescent colour when it is observed in reflected light. The colours of an individual stone can run the full range of the visible spectrum or be limited to just one or two colours. The colour display can rival fine Opal and Labradorite in its intensity and beauty.” 

Ammolite is a luminous gemstone formed from the fossilized shells of mollusks, known as ammonites, which lived in an inland sea east of the Rocky Mountains. After sinking to the seabed, the mud that covered ammonites hardened over millions of years to become shale. The shell properties, combined with southern Alberta’s unique geology, transformed many ammonite shells into the Ammolite that is mined and used for jewelry today. 

 

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