in process
It is actually quite remarkable how little well-organized information can be found about the Shuinandong Smelter and its surroundings. While bits and pieces are scattered across various websites, comprehensive and coherent background information is surprisingly rare. I’ve already covered parts of the story elsewhere, but here I have tried to present everything in a more structured and accessible way. I’ll simply include a selection of photographs without any particular order, allowing them to speak for themselves.
General Description
Today, it is difficult to imagine what this area once looked like. Stretching between the Pacific Ocean, Jinguashi, Jiufen, Dacukeng, and Houtong was an enormous mining district, filled with extensive settlements, industrial facilities, processing plants, and countless mines. Very little of this landscape has survived. Old roads have disappeared, while new ones have replaced them. Many buildings have collapsed, others have been buried by landslides or washed away by floods. Repeated earthquakes and powerful typhoons have further erased the traces of what was once one of Taiwan’s most important mining regions.
Anyone considering entering this area should be aware that it is not a safe adventure.
(The color speaks for itself.)
The ground around the Shuinandong Smelter remains heavily contaminated with toxic substances. The passage of time has not made the site any safer. The surrounding mines—and even the ground above them—are highly unstable. People have fallen into hidden mine shafts that were concealed by vegetation or collapsed ground. In general, the entire region is prone to landslides. The abandoned mines themselves have become even more hazardous with age. Dangerous gases such as methane and carbon monoxide may accumulate underground, while arsenic and contaminated mine water pose additional health risks. The area is also home to several species of venomous snakes, including the Taiwan habu and the green bamboo viper. Exploring this area should only be undertaken with a full understanding of the risks and appropriate precautions.
Some areas are off-limits and must not be entered. The photographs shown here were taken by various people over many years. Some are quite old, and certain locations depicted have since collapsed, been demolished, or no longer exist in the condition shown.
