What are metallic and industrial minerals?
For the purpose of mineral agreements and royalties, metallic and industrial minerals are legally defined in Alberta as minerals other than petroleum and natural gas, coal, oil sands, ammonite shell, and surface materials such as sand and gravel. Metallic and industrial minerals include a diversity of solid minerals including: o Metallic minerals such as gold, silver, platinum, iron, nickel, lead and zinc, o Precious and semi-precious stones such as diamonds, sapphires and garnets o Building stone such as limestone, sandstone and granite, and o Industrial minerals such as gypsum and salt. What is ammonite shell? Ammonite shell in Alberta is the fossilized and mineralized remains of ammonite, a group of marine molluscs that became extinct approximately 65 million years ago. Ammonites are members of the cephalopod class, which includes nautilus, squid, octopus and cuttlefish. Ammonite shells first generated interest among Alberta mineral collectors in the 1970s when some specimens with i
