Rocksday

Ammolite

A rare gem made from the shimmering shell layers of fossil ammonites.

Ammolite specimen
Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify ammolite

  • Vivid rainbow iridescence in patches.
  • Cracked 'dragon-skin' mosaic pattern.
  • Usually thin and backed on shale.

Often confused with

Where it's found

  • Southern Alberta, Canada

Uses

Jewelry.

Rock tumbling

Not suitable for tumbling.

Did you know?

It's one of the few gemstones made by a living creature, and Alberta's official gemstone.

Think you could spot it from a blurry close-up?

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