💎
Earth's Treasures Worksheet
Inside Taichung's Mineral World
My name
Date of visit
🪨 What Is a Mineral?
A mineral is a naturally formed solid with a fixed chemical composition and a regular crystal structure. The same mineral has the same structure whether it is found in Taiwan, Brazil, or even on the Moon. Today you will see more than 1,700 mineral specimens at the museum.
Press ⌘P to print
📏 Mohs Hardness Mini Guide
| Hardness | Mineral | Everyday comparison |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talc | Your fingernail scratches it easily |
| 2 | Gypsum | A fingernail (about 2.5) can scratch it |
| 3 | Calcite | A coin is about 3.5 |
| 5 | Apatite | Glass is about 5.5 |
| 7 | Quartz, amethyst | A small knife cannot scratch it |
| 10 | Diamond | The hardest mineral on Earth |
👀 Three Things I Most Want to See
Giant amethyst geode
Fluorescent minerals
Hokutolite from Taiwan
5-ton stalactite forest
Apollo 11 Moon rock
Fengtian nephrite jade
Press ⌘P to print
🔎 Gallery Observation Notes
At each zone, stop for one minute and write what you notice: colour, shape, size, or what it reminds you of.
① Mineral Evolution
Look for the 290 cm banded iron rock near the entrance. It tells the story of Earth before and after oxygen.
② Crystal Symmetry
Crystals can be cubic, hexagonal, rhombohedral, and more. Pick the one you think looks most symmetrical.
③ Colour and Luster
Do not miss the 1,700 kg fluorescent rock. Under short-wave UV, Willemite glows green and Calcite glows red.
Press ⌘P to print
🔎 Gallery Observation Notes
Choose two more zones that caught your eye and keep exploring.
④ Treasures of Taiwan
Hokutolite, Fengtian nephrite, and natural gold from Jiufen are here. Hokutolite is one of the few minerals named after a place in Taiwan.
⑤ Minerals of the World
Look for the heart-shaped amethyst cluster weighing 1,598 kg, plus dramatic crystals from Brazil and India.
🔎 Mini Challenge
Find one mineral somewhere in the gallery that looks like a heart:
Press ⌘P to print
💙 My Favourite Mineral Today
Its name:
From:
Mohs hardness:
Why I like it:
✏️ Draw It
Draw here
🧠 Quick Mineral Quiz
Q1. Why is Hokutolite special to Taiwan?
It has only been found in Beitou, Taiwan, and Tamagawa, Japan. It is one of the few minerals named after a place in Taiwan.
Q2. Why do fluorescent minerals glow?
They absorb high-energy light such as UV, then release that energy as visible light. That is fluorescence.
Q3. How did the museum get its Moon rock?
After Apollo 11 brought Moon samples back in 1969, the United States gifted one to the Republic of China. It was later transferred to the museum for permanent collection.
💬 One Sentence Before You Leave
Press ⌘P to print