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Miñiques is a massive volcanic complex containing a large number of
SI Google Earth Placemarks
- Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program: download placemarks with SI Holocene volcano-data. Volcanoes of Antofagasta Region Mountains of Chile Stratovolcanoes of Chile Pliocene stratovolcanoes Pleistocene stratovolcanoes {{Antofagasta-geo-stub
Miñiques is a massive volcanic complex containing a large number of craters
Crater may refer to:
Landforms
* Impact crater, a depression caused by two celestial bodies impacting each other, such as a meteorite hitting a planet
* Explosion crater, a hole formed in the ground produced by an explosion near or below the surf ...
, lava dome
In volcanology, a lava dome is a circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano. Dome-building eruptions are common, particularly in convergent plate boundary settings. Around 6% of eruptions on ...
s and flows, located in the Antofagasta Region of Chile. Located south of Volcán Chiliques and west of Cordón Puntas Negras, it is part of a frequently visited attraction conformed by the high plain lagoons Laguna Miscanti, Laguna Miñiques and the Cerro Miscanti volcano.
Mountain
Miñiques consists of four overlapping volcanoes formed bylava dome
In volcanology, a lava dome is a circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano. Dome-building eruptions are common, particularly in convergent plate boundary settings. Around 6% of eruptions on ...
s and stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and per ...
es. It has two summits, a lower northern summit which reaches elevation and a higher southern one which is high. The mountain features two crater lakes, one at and the other at elevation on the southeastern and western side of the northern summit, respectively. A set of well developed moraine
A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...
s exists on the southern flank and may reflect glaciers advancing either from the summit area or a plateau at elevation; overall however glaciation on Miñiques was of limited extent and the terrain of Miñiques today is dominated by periglacial processes. Laguna Miñiques lies on its northwestern foot; it was separated from Laguna Miscanti by a lava flow
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or und ...
from Miñiques.
The mountain rises from a high ignimbrite plateau. It is of Pleistocene age and formed by andesitic and dacitic rocks; it formed during two stages in the Pliocene and Plio-Pleistocene. There is no indication of historical eruptions and the volcano is classified as extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
and its lava flows have been offset by faulting, but activity of the Pliocene-Pleistocene volcano may have continued into the Holocene. Renewed eruptions may impact as well as the surroundings of Laguna Miñiques and would mostly consist of lava flows, but are unlikely to impact populated areas.
There are a number of crater
Crater may refer to:
Landforms
*Impact crater, a depression caused by two celestial bodies impacting each other, such as a meteorite hitting a planet
*Explosion crater, a hole formed in the ground produced by an explosion near or below the surfac ...
s, some of which contain lava dome
In volcanology, a lava dome is a circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano. Dome-building eruptions are common, particularly in convergent plate boundary settings. Around 6% of eruptions on ...
s and lava flow
Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or und ...
s. Stone structures and archeological sites are found on the summit and the flanks of Miñiques mountain, and the church of Socaire is oriented towards the mountain. The Inca associated the mountain with the god Tunupa and with lightning.
See also
* List of volcanoes in Chile * Chiliques * Cerro Miscanti * Cordón Puntas Negras * Caichinque * Los Flamencos National Reserve * ChileReferences
Sources
*Further sources
*External links
SI Google Earth Placemarks
- Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program: download placemarks with SI Holocene volcano-data. Volcanoes of Antofagasta Region Mountains of Chile Stratovolcanoes of Chile Pliocene stratovolcanoes Pleistocene stratovolcanoes {{Antofagasta-geo-stub