Cordon del Azufre

Complex in Chile-Argentina

Key Facts

Elevation

5,481 m (17,982 ft)

Type

Complex

Location

-25.336°, -68.521°

Region

Central Andean Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

Cordón del Azufre is a small volcanic complex straddling the Chile-Argentina border. The complex consists of a cluster of lava flows from vents on the NE side, wholly within Argentina, and a 5-km-long chain of vents along the border with Chile. An older andesitic-dacitic edifice with a 1.

3-km-wide crater was mostly covered by younger Holocene andesitic lava flows. The youngest cone, 300-m-high Volcán la Moyra, was the source of fresh-looking blocky andesitic lava flows that descended 6 km into Chile and 3 km into Argentina.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskModerate

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Silica Content

Intermediate (57-63% SiO₂)

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Holocene

Evidence

Evidence Credible

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

Metric	Value	Global Ranking	Significance
Total Recorded Eruptions	Unknown	Low	Moderately active volcano
Maximum VEI	VEI Unknown	Minor	Local impact potential
Recent Activity	Unknown	Historical	Historically active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Normal

No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in South America Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The South America Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

Quick Info

•Smithsonian ID: 355121
•Evidence: Evidence Credible
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

Cordón del Azufre is in the center of this 22 May 2019 Planet Scope satellite image (N is at the top), located along the Chile-Argentina border. The darker lava flow originated from Volcán la Moyra, the youngest feature of the volcanic field, reaching 6 km to the W. The complex includes a N-S chain of four craters and numerous lava flows.

Satellite image courtesy of Planet Labs Inc., 2019 (https://www.planet.com/).