This is a perfect follow-up for your blog because most people don't realize that while Ammolite is one of the rarest gems on Earth, Ammonite fossils are actually everywhere.
Here is a blog post that tackles this specific "Why" while subtly reminding your readers that they are dremeling something special.
Why are Ammonites So Common? (And Why Your Ammolite is Different)
If you walk into any rock shop or museum, you’re almost guaranteed to see a spiral-shaped fossil. They are so common that you can find them in everything from high-end jewelry to $5 bins at a gift shop.
But why are there so many ammonite fossils? If they are 70 million years old, why aren't they as rare as T-Rex bones? The answer is a mix of ancient biology and perfect timing.
1. They "Ruled" the Ocean for 350 Million Years
To put that in perspective, humans have only been around for about 300,000 years. Ammonites were in the ocean for 350 million years.
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They survived multiple mass extinctions.
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They lived in every ocean on the planet, from the surface to the deep sea.
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There were over 10,000 different species identified so far. When a species stays successful for that long, they leave behind a lot of trash—in this case, their shells.
2. They Bred Like Crazy
Unlike their cousin, the modern Nautilus (which only has a few babies at a time), Ammonites followed the "quantity over quality" rule. They laid thousands of eggs in a single batch. Because there were billions of these creatures swimming around at any given time, the sheer volume of shells dropping to the ocean floor was massive.
3. Built to Last: The Perfect Fossilization Setup
Not everything that dies becomes a fossil. Most things rot or get crushed. But Ammonites had the "Fossilization Triple Threat":
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A Hard Shell: Their aragonite shells were tough and didn't decompose easily.
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The Sinking Habit: When they died, their gas-filled chambers often filled with water, causing them to sink directly into the soft mud and silt of the ocean floor.
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The Quick Bury: Being on the ocean floor meant they were quickly covered by sediment, protecting them from scavengers and oxygen.
4. So... Why is AMMOLITE so Rare?
This is the big question. If there are billions of Ammonite fossils, why is gem-grade Ammolite so expensive?
The Location: While Ammonites are found worldwide (from the Sahara Desert to the Himalayas), 99.9% of them are just plain grey or brown stone. Ammolite—the iridescent rainbow version—is only found in one tiny geological strip in Alberta, Canada.
It required a very specific "magic" combination:
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A specific type of volcanic ash (bentonite) to cover the shells.
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The perfect amount of pressure and heat from the Rocky Mountains forming.
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Millions of years without the shell being crushed or eroded away.