Trilobite fossils discovered in rural Yangquan this year [Photo/Shanxi Evening News]

The city of Yangquan in North China's Shanxi province confirmed the local discovery of 520-million-year-old trilobite fossils during the 2022 paleontological fossil resource survey. 

During this year's paleontological fossil survey, the local research team found a number of trilobite fossils in the Cambrian microcrystalline limestone in Donghui town, Pingding county, most of which are debris left by the molting of trilobites growing in the coastal shallows. 

The trilobite fossils are among the oldest animal fossils discovered in the city. 

The discovery of fossils reveals that the present-day Taihang Mountains were the marine environment for trilobites during the Cambrian period about 520 million years ago. 

"Since the discovery of trilobite fossils, we have urged young scholars from the Shanxi Institute of Engineering and Technology to carry out geological research, geological internships and paleontological fossil science popularization activities while strengthening the protection of fossil resources," said Chen Jianguo, head of the Yangquan Geological Disaster Prevention and Control Center.

He added that in the future, interdepartmental cooperation will be carried out to promote related culture and tourism development in the Taihang Mountains.