Shells etc

[billbradshaw]

Hi all - i eat alot of mussells and oysters and am wondering how i can recycle the shells?
I have been using them on new pathways as the crush up nicely etc but am wondering if i could/should include some into my compost bins (after washing them!) i'm sure they are a wonderful source of minerals - does anyone know what they are made of (calcium carbonate?), how they would benefit the soil/compost and is there a particularly useful way of using them to benefit plants? (eg fruit/veg/whatever!) also - if i do use them, would i need to balance a mix up by adding something else so they are not only partially beneficial (if that makes sense?)
Thanks all!

[HayleyB]

I'm using oyster shell grit (chicken grit) as a barrier defence against slugs - experimental at the moment but they don't like sharp stuff so who knows