Mining Museum Introduction
Located in Gongguan Mining Village, this is the birthplace of petroleum in Taiwan. The first discovery of oil in Taiwan occurred in the 22nd year of the Qing Jiaqing era (1813 AD) at the site of the "First Well of Chuhuangkheng," which is about eighty meters to the right front of the main entrance of the Chuhuangkheng site. This well was the first one drilled by the Japanese. Due to the rich oil sources in Chuhuangkheng, the Japanese drilled a total of 99 wells. The name "Chuhuangkheng" originated from the local people discovering a sulfur-colored liquid bubbling up from the ground; they did not realize it was crude oil and thought it was sulfur, thus naming it "Chuhuangkheng." Chuhuangkheng is the earliest and most significant oil mining site in Taiwan. Geologically, it is part of an anticline structure, with the central area being the highest and the two wings sloping outward, trapping oil and gas within the anticline. The wings of the Chuhuangkheng anticline are formed by interbedded layers of soft and hard sandstones and shales. The geological structure, stratigraphy, and paleobiology studies in this area represent a typical region for geological learning in Taiwan, making it a must-visit for those studying geology! The China National Petroleum Corporation also marks the geological strata of the Houlong River Valley in the southern part of this region along the highway, providing an excellent site for outdoor geological education. The mine at Chuhuangkheng is brilliantly lit at night, making it a beautiful sight, and is commonly referred to as the "Night Hong Kong."
