Malleco Formation

Malleco Formation
Stratigraphic range: PlioceneEarly Pleistocene
UnderliesQuaternary Andean volcanoes
OverliesVizcacha-Cumilao Complex
Cura-Mallín Formation
Estratos de Huichahue
Melipeuco Plutonic Group
Lithology
PrimaryVolcaniclastic rocks, lava
Location
RegionAraucanía Region
Country Chile
Type section
Named forMalleco River
Named bySuárez & Emparan
Year defined1997

Malleco Formation (Spanish: Formación Malleco) is a geological formation of volcanic origin in the Andes of Araucanía Region (38–39° S), Chile. The formation is made up by volcaniclastic rocks, including tuffs, lahars and lavas of PlioceneEarly Pleistocene age.[1] It is considered equivalent to the Cola de Zorro Formation found further north in Chile and the so-called "Asociación volcánica de la precordillera oriental" located around the upper courses Bío Bío and Aluminé rivers.[1][2]

  1. ^ a b Suárez, M. and Emparan, C. (1997). Hoja Curacautín, Carta geológica de Chile.[page needed]
  2. ^ Lara, Luis; Rodríguez, Carolina; Moreno, Hugo; Pérez de Arce, Carlos (July 2001). "Geocronología K-Ar y geoquímica del volcanismo plioceno superior-pleistoceno de los Andes del sur (39-42°S)" [K-Ar geochronology and geochemistry of the Upper Pliocene -Pleistocene volcanism of the southern Andes (39-42°S)]. Revista Geológica de Chile (in Spanish). 28 (1). doi:10.4067/S0716-02082001000100004.