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| Lonquimay Volcano | |
|---|---|
| Name | Lonquimay |
| Elevation m | 2825 |
| Location | Araucanía Region, Chile |
| Range | Andes |
| Type | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption | 1988–1990 |
Lonquimay Volcano Lonquimay is a stratovolcano in the Chilean Araucanía Region of the Andes near the border with Argentina, notable for a prolonged eruption from 1988 to 1990 that affected nearby Temuco, Angol, and the Malalcahuello National Reserve. The edifice lies within the Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andean Volcanic Belt and is associated with regional tectonics involving the Nazca Plate, the South American Plate, and the subduction processes that have shaped features such as Villarrica Volcano, Llaima, and Calbuco. Its activity and setting attract attention from institutions including the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería and the Observatorio Volcanológico de Los Andes del Sur.
Lonquimay sits in the north-central Araucanía Province, adjacent to the Conguillío National Park and near the Biobío Region boundary, with access routes from Temuco and Victoria. The volcano occupies part of the Malalcahuello-Nalcas protected landscape, rising above drainage basins that feed the Truful-Truful River and tributaries of the Biobío River, and lies within a matrix of land uses including communities of Pehuenche and Mapuche inhabitants, forestry plantations managed by companies such as Arauco, and grazing areas historically linked to Jesuit missions. The region’s climate shows strong Pacific and Andean influences, with precipitation patterns related to the Humboldt Current, the Southern Westerlies, and orographic uplift along the Andes.
The volcano is a classic andesitic stratovolcano built on a basement of Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic and plutonic rocks related to Andean magmatism, with petrology comparable to nearby systems like Llaima, Tolhuaca, and Lonquimay’s neighboring volcanic centers. Its cone features layered lava flows, pyroclastic deposits, and summit craters; geochemical studies link magmas to partial melting and slab-derived fluids from the subducting Nazca Plate, producing calc-alkaline andesite to dacite compositions similar to samples from Villarrica and Osorno. Structural controls include regional faults tied to the Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone and local radial dikes; hydrothermal alteration has produced fumarolic fields reminiscent of those at Cerro Negro (Nicaragua) and geothermal prospects studied by Chilean agencies.
Lonquimay’s eruptive record includes Holocene lava flows, tephra layers correlated with deposits across the Araucanía Region, and the well-documented 1988–1990 eruption that produced a long lava flow field and extensive ash emissions affecting Temuco, Angol, and air traffic controlled via Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport protocols. Historical and geological mapping links older eruptions to the late Pleistocene and Holocene, with tephrochronology studies comparing layers to those from Llaima and distal fallout found near Valdivia and Puerto Montt. The 1988 event involved fissure-fed effusive activity and strombolian explosions, with eruptive products examined using techniques developed by institutions such as the Universidad de Chile and the SERNAGEOMIN research teams.
Primary volcanic hazards include lava flows, ashfall, ballistic projectiles, and lahars affecting populated areas such as Curacautín and infrastructure including routes to Paso Pino Hachado; secondary hazards involve forest fires within plantations owned by firms like Arauco and disruption to the timber and tourism sectors linked to Conguillío National Park. Ash clouds have regional implications for aviation authorities like the International Civil Aviation Organization and national agencies coordinating with Dirección Meteorológica de Chile for ash dispersion forecasts used by airports including La Araucanía Airport. Past impacts included crop damage, respiratory health issues addressed by regional health services, and changes to river sediment loads affecting communities along the Biobío River.
Monitoring of Lonquimay involves seismic networks, satellite remote sensing (thermal infrared and InSAR) employed by the Observatorio Volcanológico de Los Andes del Sur and international collaborators such as NASA and the USGS, as well as gas emission measurements informed by protocols from the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior. Early warning systems coordinate municipal emergency plans from Temuco and local civil defense offices like Onemi with evacuation routes mapped to shelters used in prior events. Risk mitigation includes land-use planning in coordination with the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, public education campaigns in schools overseen by the Ministerio de Educación (Chile), and infrastructure reinforcement projects funded by regional governments.
The area around Lonquimay supports indigenous Mapuche and Pehuenche communities with cultural ties to native species such as the Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree) and fauna including the Kodkod and the Andean condor, within ecosystems protected by reserves like Malalcahuello National Reserve. Economic activities include sustainable tourism focused on trails connecting to Conguillío National Park, forestry operations by companies like Arauco, and small-scale agriculture serving markets in Temuco and Angol. Conservation initiatives involve collaboration among NGOs, universities such as the Universidad Católica de Temuco, and government agencies to balance hazard preparedness with biodiversity protection and cultural heritage preservation.
Category:Volcanoes of Araucanía Region