The Northern Coast of Taiwan is full of interesting places. Today, we are visiting the Remains of the Thirteen Levels (十三層遺址), also known as the Shuinandong Smelter (水湳洞精煉廠). It is located in the Jinguashi mining area in the Ruifang District of New Taipei. This Japanese-era copper smelting refinery is now one of the abandoned places in Taiwan. It's just a short walk from the Golden Waterfall, which is another interesting place to see.
Remains of the Thirteen Levels (水湳洞選煉廠遺址)
In 1905, the mining directory of the Jinguashi mine discovered gold, sulfur, arsenic, and copper ore in the area. That same year, a factory was established here to process gold and copper ore. By 1907, the Jinguashi mine produced 47 metric tons of copper and gained worldwide fame. The development of the Shuiyudong settlement is closely related to gold and copper ores. The employee buildings were built on the hillside opposite the Jiufen River, with the buildings divided into four and six households.
After actively mining the Jinguashi gold mine, the Japanese discovered sulfur-arsenic copper in 1920 and converted the mine into a copper mining and refinery operation. The Shuinandong Smelter was completed in 1933 and operated by war prisoners during the Japanese occupation. The smelter was built on a hillside and actually has 18 levels. It was the largest smelter in Asia at that time. In 1945, it was taken over by the Taiwan Gold and Copper Mining Bureau and converted into Taiwan Metal Mining in 1955.
This area was rich in gold and copper, but production began to decline in the 1970s. After 1987, the business ended, and soon this place became abandoned. In 2007, the site was registered as a historic building. The Remains of the Thirteen Levels is the largest site in the former Jinguashi area, which used to produce 50,000 tons of copper per year.
This place also boasts one of the world's longest concrete pipeline ventilation systems. These pipes are built along the hillside, with each pipe measuring about 1 km long. These large pipes can be easily seen from afar. In the past, it was necessary for copper smelting to discharge a large amount of copper smoke, which is highly toxic. This concrete pipeline ventilation system is a witness to the development of Taiwan's mining industry. In 2008, it was recognized as a cultural landscape.
Golden Waterfall (黃金瀑布)
Near this place, you can also see the Golden Waterfall (黃金瀑布). Due to abundant rainfall, minerals are washed out of the stones, causing the water to turn yellow and flow into the river and then into the sea. The color of the waterfall existed long before the mining period and is a natural occurrence caused by heavy metals in the ground. The water has a beautiful golden color when the sunlight hits it, but touching it isn't advisable due to its toxicity.
Yin Yang Sea (陰陽海)
The water from this area also flows into the sea, creating a unique landscape called Yin Yang Sea (陰陽海). Located on the Northern Coast, the Yin Yang Sea is truly a special sight. The name was given due to the contrast between the yellowish-brown water and the natural blue color of the sea. Initially, people used to think that the yellow color was a result of pollution from the Taijin Company. However, even after the copper company stopped operating a few years ago, the sea's colors remained the same. Geological studies have helped explain this mysterious color of the sea.
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