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| Purico Complex | |
|---|---|
| Name | Purico Complex |
| Elevation m | 5170 |
| Location | Andes, Chile/Bolivia |
| Type | Complex of lava domes, stratovolcanoes and calderas |
| Last eruption | Holocene (uncertain) |
Purico Complex is a volcanic complex in the high Central Volcanic Zone of the Andes straddling the border region near Chile and Bolivia. The complex comprises multiple lava domes, stratovolcanoes, and caldera structures associated with Pleistocene to Holocene magmatism. It lies within a tectonically active corridor influenced by the Nazca Plate subduction beneath the South American Plate and is notable for extensive ignimbrite sheets, volcanic domes, and active hydrothermal manifestations.
The complex is situated in the Altiplano–Puna region near major features such as the Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Coipasa, and the Lípez volcanic field, within proximity to the Lauca National Park and the town of Uyuni. It occupies a position influenced by regional structures including the Altiplano-Puna Volcanic Complex and the tectonic lineaments that also affect the nearby stratovolcanoes Licancabur, Sajama, and Parinacota. The regional climate is high-altitude puna with arid conditions like those found on the Atacama Desert, and accessibility is often via routes connecting Oruro, Potosí, and San Pedro de Atacama.
Purico Complex lies within the Central Volcanic Zone, part of a chain that includes volcanic centers such as Lascar, Lastarria, and Iztaccíhuatl (on the broader Andean arc). The magmatism is controlled by processes related to the subduction of the Nazca Plate and interactions with the continental crust beneath the Altiplano, similar to those invoked for the Altiplano-Puna magma body. Regional faults like the Culampaja Fault and the Inka Wasi Fault influence conduit emplacement and eruptive vent distribution. The complex produced extensive rhyolitic and dacitic ignimbrites comparable to deposits from Purico's neighboring ignimbrite provinces such as the Tocomar and Titus Flank systems.
Eruptive activity at the complex spans late Pleistocene to probable Holocene episodes with major ignimbrite-producing eruptions followed by dome emplacement and smaller explosive events, paralleling eruption sequences seen at Chaxas and Los Frailes. Radiometric ages from 40Ar/39Ar and K–Ar dating of welded tuffs and domes place key ignimbrite eruptions between about 1.2 million and tens of thousands of years ago, while some smaller domes may be geologically recent contemporaneous with regional Holocene activity like that of Sajama and Huaynaputina. Tephrostratigraphic correlations link some deposits to widespread Paleoenvironmental changes across the Altiplano and to ash layers identified in lacustrine records near Lake Titicaca.
The landscape includes nested calderas, radial dome clusters, and coalesced lava flows that create a rugged skyline akin to the morphology of Nevado Sajama and the Sillajhuay massif. Ignimbrite sheets form extensive plateaus and cuesta escarpments comparable to those of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle region, while dome collapse features generate block-and-ash deposits and pyroclastic flow scars reminiscent of deposits described for El Misti and Cerro Galán. Glacial and periglacial modification during Pleistocene glaciations produced cirque remnants and moraines analogous to features around Aucanquilcha and Cotopaxi.
Rocks from the complex range from high-silica rhyolites to dacites with phenocryst assemblages including quartz, plagioclase, biotite, and amphibole, paralleling mineralogies reported for Altiplano-Puna volcanic centers. Geochemical signatures indicate evolved magmas with high incompatible element enrichment and variable isotopic ratios similar to trends seen at Puna Plateau ignimbrites and at Cerro Blanco. Trace element patterns and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data imply crustal assimilation and fractional crystallization processes akin to those inferred for Ojos del Salado and Lascar, with evidence for magma mingling and volatile-driven differentiation prior to dome extrusion.
The complex hosts active and fossil hydrothermal systems manifested by fumarolic fields, sinter deposits, and hydrothermal alteration zones comparable to occurrences at El Tatio, Sol de Mañana, and El Indio. Hydrothermal fluids have produced silica sinters, sulfide mineralization, and advanced argillic assemblages similar to those exploited in nearby mining districts such as Cerro Rico de Potosí and El Peñón, raising interest in epithermal gold–silver exploration akin to deposits in the Maricunga and Franja provinces. Geothermal potential has been assessed in the context of regional projects near Tatio and Lupica.
Archaeological surveys and ethnographic studies note that high-altitude routes near the complex intersect Inca and pre-Inca trails linking sites like Tiwanaku, Pukará de Quitor, and Tiawanaku, with ritual sites and stray artifacts reported on volcanic summits similar to findings on Llullaillaco and Ampato. Scientific investigations include multidisciplinary studies by teams from institutions such as the Universidad de Chile, Instituto Geográfico Militar (Bolivia), Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN), and international collaborations with researchers from USGS, GFZ Potsdam, and universities including University of Buenos Aires and University of Chile. Monitoring efforts draw on methods employed at Observatorio Volcanológico de Los Andes del Sur and incorporate remote sensing from platforms like Landsat, ASTER, and Sentinel-2 to map deformation, thermal anomalies, and ash dispersal relevant to aviation authorities such as ICAO.
Category:Volcanoes of Chile Category:Volcanoes of Bolivia Category:Andean Volcanic Belt