Tacora

Tacora
Tacora in 2004
Highest point
Elevation5,980 m (19,620 ft)[1]
Prominence1,721 m (5,646 ft)[2]
Parent peakNevado Sajama
ListingUltra
Coordinates17°43′14″S 69°46′22″W / 17.72056°S 69.77278°W / -17.72056; -69.77278
Geography
Tacora is located in Chile
Tacora
Tacora
Parent rangeAndes
Geology
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Volcanic arc/beltCentral Volcanic Zone
Last eruptionUnknown

Tacora is a stratovolcano located in the Andes of the Arica y Parinacota Region of Chile. Near the border with Peru, it is one of the northernmost volcanoes of Chile. It is part of the Central Volcanic Zone in Chile, one of the four volcanic belts of the Andes. The Central Volcanic Zone has several of the highest volcanoes in the world. Tacora itself is a stratovolcano with a caldera and a crater. The youngest radiometric age is 50,000 years ago and it is heavily eroded by glacial activity.

Volcanism in the Central Volcanic Zone results from the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South America Plate. Tacora is constructed on the so-called "Arica Altiplano" and is part of a north–south alignment of volcanoes. Tacora itself has uncertain reports of historical eruptions and there are active fumaroles.

The fumarolic activity has resulted in the emplacement of substantial deposits of sulfur, which were already mentioned centuries ago. Towards the latter 19th century, systematic mining of the sulfur deposits of Tacora occurred and substantial mining infrastructure was constructed on the mountain.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference GVP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference AndesSpecialists was invoked but never defined (see the help page).