Yen Bai Discovers Fossils Over 7 Million Years Old

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Yen Bai Discovers Fossils Over 7 Million Years Old

Thursday, October 17, 2024

YBO - In mid-September, Yen Bai provincial museum staff discovered a variety of plant and animal fossils in Minh Long Hamlet, Tuy Loc Commune, Yen Bai City. These fossils belong to the Co Phuc Formation, dating back between 7 to 10 million years.

Fossil traces discovered by Yen Bai Museum staffs

Earlier, in late May 2024, fossilized leaf imprints in siltstone and two-part mollusk fossils were also found in the area by Dr. Truong Quang Quy, Director of the Hanoi Geological Museum, in collaboration with the Yen Bai Museum. The fossils were easily exposed due to prior land excavation for brick-making in the area.

Following this discovery, the Yen Bai Museum developed plans to expand the search, contributing to ongoing archaeological research. This recent excavation revealed a significant rock formation rich in fossilized snails, plant leaves, mollusks, and numerous other artifacts.

Geologically, the rocks in this area are sedimentary and classified under the Co Phuc Formation, dating back to the Neogene Period (also known as the Late Cenozoic, which began over 23 million years ago). According to the leadership of the Yen Bai Museum, the fossils collected here suggest that this region was once a freshwater swamp inhabited by mollusks and various plant species. Neogene formations found in this system are limited to areas along both banks of the Red River. These formations lie unconformably atop Devonian sediments (a system of interbedded clastic rocks and acid volcanic detritus) and are covered by Quaternary deposits. The composition includes conglomerates and gravel in gray to brownish-gray tones, with interbedded yellowish-gray and dark-gray siltstone and shale, dating from approximately 7 to 10 million years ago.

Large rock formations containing fossilized mollusks and clams found on October 14, 2024, in Minh Long Village, Tuy Loc Commune, Yen Bai City

Yen Bai Province lies within two structural zones: the Northwestern and Northeastern regions of Northern Vietnam, separated by the Song Chay fault. The province's geological structure consists of highly metamorphic formations, weakly metamorphic sedimentary formations, carbonate rocks, clastic-carbonate formations, sedimentary rocks interbedded with volcanic layers, coal-bearing clastic rocks, red beds, loose sediments, and intrusive igneous rocks.

These fossil specimens are crucial in enriching the collection of ancient artifacts at the Yen Bai Museum. In the near future, these fossils will undergo further research and be displayed at the museum, allowing visitors to witness firsthand the traces of life from millions of years ago. They serve as remarkable evidence of Earth's evolution and transformation.

With its deep historical roots and rich cultural heritage, including geological, natural, cultural, and intangible values, Yen Bai has the ideal conditions to preserve and develop tourism. This potential could attract visitors, researchers, and archaeology enthusiasts in the near future.

Van Tuan

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