Mountain Exploration

Mount Tan

Mount Tan, standing at an elevation of 230 meters and covering an area of 8 square kilometers, is located in Tanzishi Town, Hengnan County. It lies adjacent to National Highway 322 and is one of the seventy-two peaks of Mount Heng.

Also known as Cloud-Shrouded Thick Mountain, the character “Thick” refers to the dense fog that envelops the area, blotting out the sun—thicker even than the mist at Yumu Mountain, which is also called Cloud-Shrouded Mountain. Hence, the name Cloud-Shrouded Thick Mountain for Mount Tan.

Mount Tan is also home to numerous natural caves, each with unique and vivid shapes resembling spiders, wild dogs, and benches. These are respectively named Spider Cave, Wild Dog Cave, and Bench Cave.

The 8-square-kilometer area of Mount Tan is rich in barite ore. After over 50 years of national mining, it now features a large number of abandoned barite mines. These barite mines differ from typical ones in three ways: first, their walls are solid and sturdy; second, they maintain a cool temperature in summer and a warm one in winter; third, they contain springs and pools with crystal-clear, cool water. Many of these mines are interconnected, ensuring good air circulation and a refreshing, cool atmosphere inside.

Mount Tan masterfully blends mysterious legends with beautiful natural scenery, leaving vast potential for exploration, development, and utilization.