Geology of Volcan Las Navajas, a pleistocene trachyte/peralkaline rhyolite volcanic center in Nayarit, Mexico
Volcan Las Navajas, located in the northwestern portion of the Mexican Volcanic Belt has produced a sequence of volcanic rocks with compositions in marked contrast to the predominantly calc-alkaline volcanoes which predominate in this part of Mexico. The oldest exposed lavas consist of trachytes with 63% SiO/sub 2/, 6% FeO*, and 500 ppm Zr along with comenditic rhyolites with 68% SiO/sub 2/, 5% FeO*, 800 ppm Zr, and an agpaitic index of 1.0. These lavas were followed by the eruption of a comenditic ash-flow tuff and the formation of a caldera 2.7 km in diameter. This caldera was subsequently filled by eruptions of pantelleritic rhyolite obsidian lava flows with 72% SiO/sub 2/, 8% FeO*, 1100 ppm Zr, and an agpaitic index of 1.5 to 1.9. A second caldera was then formed which is offset to the south of the main eruptive vents for previous eruptions. This younger caldera has a diameter of about 4.8 km and its southern walls have been covered by calc-alkaline andesitic lavas erupted from nearby Sanganguey volcano. Volcanoclastic sediments in the floor of the younger caldera have been tilted and faulted in a manner suggestive of late stage resurgence. Subsequent eruptions within the caldera, however, have been restricted to calc-alkaline andesites. Tectonically, the area in which this volcano occurs appears to have been undergoing a crustal rifting event since the Pliocene. The occurrence of these peralkaline rocks lends further support to such a hypothesis.
- Research Organization:
- Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6458495
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MEXICO
VOLCANIC REGIONS
RHYOLITES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
TRACHYTES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
CALDERAS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGY
LAVA
PLEISTOCENE EPOCH
VOLCANISM
CENOZOIC ERA
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
IGNEOUS ROCKS
LATIN AMERICA
NORTH AMERICA
QUATERNARY PERIOD
ROCKS
VOLCANIC ROCKS
580100* - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)
580400 - Geochemistry- (-1989)