Corrida de Cori Volcanic Field
Stratovolcano in Chile-Argentina
Key Facts
Elevation
5,451 m (17,884 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
-25.083°, -68.367°
Region
Central Andean Volcanic Arc
Rock Type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Cerro Escorial, a small andesitic-dacitic stratovolcano, has young-looking lava flows and a well-preserved crater. It is the youngest volcanic center of the NW-SE-trending Corrida de Cori range that marks the Chile/Argentina border. Escorial is located 4 km NE of an active sulfur mine in older, extensively hydrothermally altered rocks.
Very youthful-looking lava flows extend westward 3-4 km over an ignimbrite deposit on the Chilean side. A 1-km-wide crater caps the summit. Escorial was considered by de Silva and Francis (1991) to be of probable Holocene age based on morphological evidence, but Richards and Villeneuve (2002) obtained an Ar/Ar age of about 0.
342 million years on a lava flow. Most of the lava flows extend to the SW into Chile, but a few small lobes traveled NE on the Argentinian side of the volcano. De Silva (2007 pers.
comm. ) noted that the well-preserved summit crater postdates the lava flow and could be of Holocene age.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows
- Lava flows
- Volcanic bombs and ballistics
- Lahars and mudflows
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
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
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in South America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 355112
- •Evidence: Evidence Uncertain
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Cerro Escorial (center horizon), viewed from the summit of Lastarria volcano, is a small andesitic-dacitic stratovolcano that straddles the Chile/Argentina border. Very youthful-looking lava flows of uncertain age are seen here extending 3-4 km SW-ward over an ignimbrite deposit on the Chilean side of the border. Cerro Escorial is located 4 km NE of an active sulfur mine in older, extensively hydrothermally altered rocks, some of which are seen in the middle ground.
Photo by José Naranjo, 1983 (Servico Nacional de Geologica y Mineria).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.