Guayaques

Lava dome(s) in Chile-Bolivia

Key Facts

Elevation

5,598 m (18,366 ft)

Type

Lava dome(s)

Location

-22.895°, -67.566°

Region

Central Andean Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Dacite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The Cerros de Guayaques group of N-S-trending rhyodacitic lava domes straddles the Chile-Bolivia border. The 10-km-long chain is located immediately E of the Purico pyroclastic shield. There is some evidence for Holocene activity, and the youngest domes appear to be N of the summit crater of the dome complex (de Silva and Francis, 1991).

A well-defined summit crater was the source of the largest lava flows, which traveled 3 km to the SW. There are no records of historical activity.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskModerate

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Dacite

Silica Content

Varied composition

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: 355093
•Evidence: Evidence Credible
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

The irregular 10-km-long N-S-trending chain just left of the center of this Landsat image is Cerros de Guayaques. These rhyodacitic lava domes straddle the Chile-Bolivia border. The 10-km-long chain is located immediately east of the Purico pyroclastic shield, part of which is visible on the left side of the image. A well-defined summit crater was the source of the largest lava flows, which form the lobate flows that extend 3 km to the SW. There are no records of historical activity from Guayaques volcano.

NASA Landsat image, 1999 (courtesy of Hawaii Synergy Project, Univ. of Hawaii Institute of Geophysics & Planetology).