Ammonite shell made into jewelry

When it comes to gemstone mining in Alberta, there is only one game in town: the shell game.

Gemstone mining is virtually non-existent in Alberta except for a remnant of the ancient sea bed which millions of years ago covered western Canada. That remnant is ammonite shell.

Ammonites were mollusks which existed in vast numbers in that ancient sea about 65 million years ago. Over time, the shells of dead ammonites became encrusted in the sea bottom. Once the sea receded, the shells fossilized to what today has become a much sought after gemstone for jewelry manufacture worldwide.

But a director of the only operating ammonite shell mine in the province warns would-be investors to be wary of outrageous claims of huge profits to be made in ammonite shell mining. During the past decade, several bogus claims have been made.

Director Rene Vandervelde of Korite Minerals worries that impulsive ammonite shell mining investors could “get their fingers burned.” Said Vandervelde: “There have been a number of scams already where people have promoted it and run off with a quarter million dollars or so.”

The majority of occurrences have been reported in riverbanks in southern Alberta. The Alberta Department of Energy, which regulates mining permits in the province, uses a special agreement for ammonite shell applicants. Hobbyists are encouraged to take out a $450 permit which entitles them to exclusive exploration rights for up to a township of land.

Hobbyists are not required to take out a permit, according to the director of agreements administration at Alberta Energy, Jim Lauder. But taking out a permit gives them exclusive exploration rights to a certain piece of property. The rights are for five years, and a specified amount of work must occur annually on the property.

“It’s much the same as permits for a gold panner,” he said. “It allows them right to surface access.”

For the more serious ammonite miner, the province requires a lease agreement. The lease is for a 15-year term, there is an annual rental fee, as well as certain work requirements.

While there was a run on ammonite shell mining about three years ago, prevailing opinions are that choice occurrences all have leases on them. Vandervelde agrees with that assessment, and says his company has managed to survive since 1977 because of unique circumstances.

Korite developed as an offshoot from the Nanton Rock Club in the mid-1960s. Nanton is a community south of Calgary. The Nanton Rock Club was digging out ammonites from local riverbanks, and circulated their finds among Calgary business people to create interest. A company of interested Calgarians was formed, and they began experimenting with different ammonite shell quality. By 1974, a certain marketable quality had been attained.

Vandervelde said he watched the evolution of the experimentation, and in 1977, he and a group of investors purchased an offspring of a company formed in the initial stages of ammonite shell commercial mining. Since them, Korite and its subsidiaries has grown to employ 40 people on a mine site near Lethbridge. But even Vandervelde is realistic about the mine’s viability. “For us, its viable,” he said. “But there is a life span to our mine as well. After that is finished, I question whether there will be any further activity in the field.”

He said they have been able to survive because of the uniqueness of the product in their particular mine.

“Not all ammonites can be used,” he said. “This particular material has been altered. There is probably very strong compression, and there is some mineralization that took place over the years.”

Essentially, the main drawing card of certain Alberta ammonite shell over, for example, Montana ammonite shell is the brilliant hues and colors the Alberta ammonite shell produces. According to Vandervelde, it is unique in the world.

More than two-thirds (70%) of Alberta’s commercial ammonite shell is sold internationally. Despite the worldwide economic slump, the market is still improving slightly.

“Jewelry is not something people eat,” Vandervelde said, to explain the slow growth.

It is probable that additional gemstone mining on a non-commercial scale is occurring throughout the province based on the number of metallic minerals permits issued during the past three years. Lauder estimates a couple of hundred have been awarded. He cannot determine, however, how many permit holders are exploring for gemstones, as they are lumped in with all metal exploration permit holders.