[Cheongsong Tourism Blossomingon the Strength of UNESCO] The First Step to Preserving Heritage is Re

ManresaGeology Museum Has a collection of about 3,000 minerals and Performs Research on Minerals for the Restoration of Ancient Structures

Having many World Heritage Sites and Global Geoparks designated by UNESCO, Spain is committed to performing "research on minerals," which is neglected by most countries.

Central Catalonia Geopark, located in Central Catalonia, Northeastern Spain, has numerous geological and mining heritages.

At the Manresa Geology Museum, located in Technical University of Cataloniain the geopark, researchers investigate minerals and study their use and processing methods. The museum has a collection of about 3,000 minerals, used across Europe, and about 2,000 fossils, found in the geopark.

The museum's work can be summarized as two steps. First, researchers investigate minerals used in ancient structures across Europe, with the focus on ancient structures in Spain, and identify their characteristics and places of origin. Next, they perform research on how to process minerals to make them close to their original form and publicize the research results.

The research on spherulitic rhyolite, or flower stone, performed at Cheongsong UNESCO Global Geopark is in line with the research on minerals performed in Spain. In Cheongsong, researchers perform a separate academic study on spherulitic rhyolite, which is produced only about 100 areas around the world. Cheongsong is planning to use education programs and preparing to get the designationofa World Natural Heritage.

"Basic minerals of our university are applied in various fields, especially for the restoration of ancient structures," said Professor JosepBiosca Munts at the Technical University of Catalonia, the director of the Manresa Geology Museum. "Mineral research is of such a great value that people around the world have to study minerals in collaboration based on a shared empathy."