Two cordaite fossils are displayed in a glass container at the park. [Photo/yq.news.com]

The Fossil Popular Science Park in Yangquan city -- in North China's Shanxi province -- will soon open to the public free of charge, according to local officials. 

Yangquan has huge reserves of fossil resources with quite a number of unique fossil-concentrated areas. In recent years, the city has attached great importance to the protection, research, development and utilization of paleontological fossils. 

In March 2019, early Permian wood fossils dating back 295 million years ago were found to the west of the north gate of Nanshan Park in the city.

To better protect and develop fossil resources, the Yangquan planning and natural resources bureau developed the outdoor fossil popular science park with an area of about 100 square meters on site to promote the popularization of paleontology fossil science.

The park mainly displays fossil limestone containing large amounts of marine animal fossils and coal-forming plant cordaites fossils. 

By directly viewing natural resources like cordaite fossils, visitors can learn about the origins of coal, understand the history of the earth, the evolution of the environment and the evolution of life.

Address: Nanshan Park, No 58 South Avenue, Chengqu district, Yangquan city, Shanxi province