Pinacate
Volcanic field in Mexico
Key Facts
Elevation
1,183 m (3,881 ft)
Type
Volcanic field
Location
31.850°, -113.500°
Region
Basin and Range Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Tectonic Setting
Subduction zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Pinacate is a roughly 55 x 60 km volcanic field in the Sonoran desert of NW México. It contains numerous maars, tuff rings, and cinder cones of late-Pleistocene to Holocene age. The 2,000 km2 field is a prominent feature in this arid, sparsely populated region between the Arizona border and the head of the Gulf of California.
An older volcanic period constructed the Santa Clara basaltic-to-trachytic shield volcano. This was followed by the eruption of more than 500 basaltic cinder cones and lava flows that cover the slopes of Santa Clara and the surrounding desert. Among the principal features of the field are two maars: Elegante crater (1.
6 km wide) and Cerro Colorado (1 km wide). Legends from the Tohono O'odham people tell of eruptions, though accounts of ash-and-steam eruptions in the 20th century are questionable.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
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 North America Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 341001
- •Evidence: Evidence Credible
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The Pinacate volcanic field covers approximately 55 x 60 km and contains numerous maars and scoria cones. The field is prominent in this arid region of NW México near the head of the Gulf of California. The crater rim across the center of the photo is the 1.6-km-wide Cráter Elegante maar. Pinacate Peak in the distance is at the summit of Santa Clara shield volcano, which contains many scoria cones and lava flow fields.
Photo by Richard Waitt, 1988 (U.S. Geological Survey).
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.