Hunting for rare ammonite fossils in southern Alberta
The dry southern Alberta badlands were once covered in water and brimming with prehistoric marine life. It can be di cult to imagine the eroded slopes and dusty elds as waterways, but the fossils tell the story. e area is home to some of the most rare ammonite fossils in the world, and these extinct cephalopods date back 65 million years to the late Cretaceous and the time of the dinosaurs. Ammonites were squid-like carnivores that lived in coiled shells, and their living relatives include the octopus, squid, cuttle sh and nautilus. ey are named a er the Egyptian god Ammon, who had curved horns on either side of his head. Ammonites lived in schools and travelled via a sort of jet propulsion by squirting water through a tube. Ammonites are certainly interesting to study, but perhaps not the most visually stunning in the colour department; the range of colours included ivory, brown and other tones of brown. But once the ammonites are fossilized, they turn into the most mesmerizing colours imaginable. e outer shell is made of aragonite, and the nal colours depend on the elements present during the fossilization process and how many layers of gem material can re ect the light. It’s amazing to hold a piece of ammolite (the creature is ammonite, the gem is ammolite) and watch the colours change as you turn the gem from side to side. As mentioned, the province’s vivid ammonite fossils are rare, and ammolite is the o cial gemstone of Alberta. e Government of Canada considers ammolites a national treasure, and you’ll also see a beautiful example at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller. To add to the rarity of ammonite fossils is the challenge of unearthing them. is hunting is not for the faint of heart. It’s hard, dirty work that takes physical stamina, patience, experience and sharp eyesight. Some hunters venture to the sights by foot with a backpack, while others use boats. And a backpack. Ammonite hunters are territorial beings, and one person’s claim site is another’s forbidden treasure. Emphasis on the forbidden. You don’t want to step foot on someone else’s territory, it’s illegal. ere’s actually a lot of paperwork involved in ammonite hunting. Chris Robak, an avid ammonite hunter and owner of Silver Cove rock and gem stores in Lacombe and Red Deer, sends a photo of every piece he collects to the Royal Tyrrell. If they deem there is no scienti c value to the pieces, he gets disposition, meaning he can keep them. Chris’ father Ron owns Ammonite World and has been working with ammonites and making ammolite jewelry for more than 20 years. Chris learned about ammonites from a young age, thanks to Ron, and now the two head out to their respective sites as o en as possible together. Once you nd a suitable and legal site, your hunt begins with a visual search. You’re looking for round-edged rocks, also known as concretions. O en you have to climb slippery slopes to reach the potential fossils. O en you crack open a rock and the inside is pure grey. Nothing. It’s when you see that line of gemstone and reveal the iridescent ammonite fossil that it’s all worth it. You’re the rst person to ever see and touch this 65-million-year-old ammonite. e long days start with hope and enthusiasm and end with tired eyes, complete with dirt on every eyelash and in every crevice, looking with amazement at these incredible works of nature’s art.
If the fossils are le exposed to the elements, they crack, ake and turn white. e ammolite is a thin layer and quite fragile, and it’s unfortunate that there are probably too many ammonites le unharvested. e ultimate nd, the big kahuna, is a complete ammonite. is day, Chris found an exceptional specimen thanks to a small concretion protruding from the hillside. He took his well-used shovel and dug out around the formation. Using a crack hammer and the shovel, he carefully split the concretion to reveal the fossil inside. It’s a beautiful amalgamation of history and marine geology and palaeontology. Once Chris gets the fossil from the remote site to his home, it takes approximately 30 hours to prep the ammolite so it becomes the shiny gems you see in his stores. e prepping is a multi-layered process that includes glue, sanding, stabilizing, and clear coats for protection. e pieces are truly Alberta-made, from start to nish.
It’s easy to be attracted to ammolite’s brilliant colours, and the blending of red, orange, green, blue and purple is hypnotic. Every ammolite tells a story and is a part of not only Alberta’s history, but also its current status as a celebrated ammolite hotspot.