Banff 
Alberta will get a new official emblem.
Yesterday, Alberta’s Minister of Culture Ron Orr announced that the province will name Ammolite, an iridescent gemstone unique to southern Alberta as its new official emblem for the province.
Bill 6 was introduced in the legislature to recognize ammolite alongside 11 other official emblems including the coat of arms, flag and wild rose as symbols of Alberta’s distinct heritage.
Ammolite is a biogenic gem with stunningly intense, iridescent rainbow colours found in Southern Alberta and to some extent in Saskatchewan and Montana.
It is a fossil shell material from molluscs, a group that thrived in an inland sea east of the Rocky Mountains until becoming extinct along with the dinosaurs at the end of the Mesozoic era. The shell properties, combined with southern Alberta’s unique geology, transformed many ammonite shells into the ammolite that is mined and used for jewellery today.
Picture shows Minister Orr wearing an Alberta-shaped pin made of ammolite. (photography by Chris Schwarz/Government of Alberta)
Orr said, “Ammolite is an important part of our heritage and economy. Recognizing ammolite as Alberta’s official gemstone reflects the unique nature of the stone and of our province, and helps to fulfil recommendation 25 of the Fair Deal Panel.”
Korite, the only fully operational, legal commercial ammolite mine in the entire world, operates near Lethbridge.
Blaine Hyggen, mayor of Lethbridge said in a statement, “Lethbridge has proudly called Ammolite its official gemstone since 2007 and we are excited to see the entire Province embracing the history and beauty of this rare and unique stone found right here in southern Alberta.”
Ammolites are available for purchase online at Korite and at various gift shops across Alberta including the Ammonite Factory in Canmore.
