Jinguashi Geological Park (Benshan Ore Body)

The Benshan Ore Body is an important gold mining area in Jinguashi. In the 19th year of Guangxu (1893 AD), gold panners from the Keelung River traced upstream from Houtong and discovered the Xiaojingua outcrop in Jiufen. In May of the following year, the Dajingua gold vein outcrop was discovered. The open-air rocks resembled the shape of a 'golden melon' (Jinguashi), hence the name 'Jinguashi'. The vertical distribution of the Benshan ore vein extends from the peak of Dajingua at an elevation of 600 meters down to 130 meters below sea level, and it has not yet terminated. The gold content is uniform throughout the ore vein. The widest part of the ore body can reach over a hundred meters, and the longest veins can reach over 2 kilometers, while the shorter ones are mostly around several hundred meters. It is the location of a very important gold deposit in Jinguashi.