“金釘子(zi)”全(quan)稱為(wei)全(quan)球(qiu)性界線(xian)層(ceng)型(xing)剖面和(he)點位，是年(nian)代地(di)層(ceng)系與系之間的全(quan)球(qiu)標(biao)準。長興煤山D剖面是地(di)球(qiu)發(fa)展史較大的斷代界線(xian)層(ceng)型(xing)。1985年(nian)，中國地(di)質大學(xue)教授張克信在D剖面27C之底發(fa)現了(le)牙形石化石，從而確(que)立了(le)該剖面的國際(ji)地(di)位。
這枚“金(jin)釘(ding)(ding)子(zi)”既是二疊系(xi)與(yu)三疊系(xi)的界(jie)線，又是古生代(dai)和中(zhong)生代(dai)的分界(jie)標志，是地質年代(dai)中(zhong)較大的3個斷代(dai)“金(jin)釘(ding)(ding)子(zi)”之一。它(ta)的發現，代(dai)表著(zhu)所(suo)在國地層研究(jiu)水平(ping)的較高科(ke)學榮譽。
長(chang)(chang)興(xing)(xing)地(di)質(zhi)遺(yi)跡保護(hu)區(qu)位于長(chang)(chang)興(xing)(xing)媒山鎮與(yu)槐坎鄉的(de)(de)交界(jie)處，為長(chang)(chang)興(xing)(xing)灰巖剖面。1931年(nian)(nian)，美籍科學家葛(ge)利(li)普以長(chang)(chang)興(xing)(xing)地(di)名將長(chang)(chang)興(xing)(xing)灰巖命(ming)名為"長(chang)(chang)興(xing)(xing)階(jie)"，代表二疊系較晚期的(de)(de)一個年(nian)(nian)代地(di)層單(dan)(dan)位，是一個以中(zhong)國地(di)名命(ming)名的(de)(de)地(di)層年(nian)(nian)代單(dan)(dan)位。
2001年3月，國際地(di)科(ke)聯(lian)通過投票，正式(shi)將浙江長(chang)(chang)興灰巖的D剖(pou)面(mian)(mian)確(que)定(ding)為全球二疊－－三(san)疊系(xi)界線層型及(ji)點(dian)（俗稱"金釘子(zi)(zi)"）。2005年9月3日(ri)，國際地(di)科(ke)聯(lian)又在長(chang)(chang)興灰巖的同一剖(pou)面(mian)(mian)上確(que)定(ding)了全球長(chang)(chang)興階底(di)界和吳家坪階頂界的接觸接線層型，這意(yi)味著浙江長(chang)(chang)興媒山在同一D剖(pou)面(mian)(mian)上擁有兩(liang)顆"金釘子(zi)(zi)"。
建筑面(mian)積約4000平方(fang)米(mi)的(de)(de)地(di)質博物(wu)館分為地(di)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)奧秘廳(ting)、生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)命演(yan)化(hua)(hua)廳(ting)、研礦形成廳(ting)、"金(jin)釘(ding)子"展(zhan)廳(ting)、長(chang)興(xing)(xing)古(gu)(gu)地(di)理廳(ting)和(he)(he)(he)科(ke)(ke)普演(yan)示(shi)(shi)廳(ting)6個展(zhan)廳(ting)。將成為中(zhong)(zhong)外(wai)地(di)學(xue)(xue)專家科(ke)(ke)考的(de)(de)神圣殿堂，大(da)專院校真實直觀的(de)(de)實驗基地(di)，更是青少年(nian)(nian)科(ke)(ke)普教育的(de)(de)大(da)講壇。這些展(zhan)廳(ting)以圖文(wen)和(he)(he)(he)古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)化(hua)(hua)石標(biao)(biao)本等介紹地(di)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)命的(de)(de)起(qi)源，展(zhan)示(shi)(shi)長(chang)興(xing)(xing)剖面(mian)中(zhong)(zhong)各類(lei)化(hua)(hua)石實物(wu)和(he)(he)(he)照片，并以二疊(die)世(shi)晚期長(chang)興(xing)(xing)的(de)(de)古(gu)(gu)地(di)理環境為背景(jing)(jing)，模擬古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)活場景(jing)(jing)及(ji)二疊(die)－－三疊(die)紀時(shi)期古(gu)(gu)地(di)理與古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)態景(jing)(jing)觀。在全(quan)(quan)館中(zhong)(zhong)，較有意義(yi)的(de)(de)藏品是一顆被(bei)放大(da)的(de)(de)牙形石模型，這是一枚(mei)劃地(di)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)時(shi)代(dai)(dai)(dai)意義(yi)的(de)(de)標(biao)(biao)志性化(hua)(hua)石，是2.5億(yi)年(nian)(nian)前古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)與中(zhong)(zhong)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)的(de)(de)界(jie)限標(biao)(biao)志，成了各國(guo)科(ke)(ke)學(xue)(xue)家翻(fan)閱的(de)(de)天書，被(bei)國(guo)際地(di)科(ke)(ke)聯確(que)定(ding)為全(quan)(quan)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)較高級別的(de)(de)金(jin)釘(ding)子。長(chang)興(xing)(xing)地(di)質遺跡(ji)自然(ran)保(bao)護區所擁有的(de)(de)全(quan)(quan)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)"金(jin)釘(ding)子"是地(di)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)史(shi)上3個較重要的(de)(de)斷代(dai)(dai)(dai)界(jie)線（前古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)－－古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)，古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)－－中(zhong)(zhong)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)，中(zhong)(zhong)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)－－新生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)）之一，即古(gu)(gu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)與中(zhong)(zhong)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)代(dai)(dai)(dai)的(de)(de)斷代(dai)(dai)(dai)界(jie)線；同時(shi)它又是地(di)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)歷史(shi)上5次生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)物(wu)大(da)絕滅中(zhong)(zhong)較大(da)一次絕滅事(shi)件和(he)(he)(he)全(quan)(quan)球(qiu)(qiu)(qiu)變化(hua)(hua)相聯系的(de)(de)點(dian)位，具有國(guo)際對比意義(yi)和(he)(he)(he)極高的(de)(de)科(ke)(ke)學(xue)(xue)研究價值。
