Click on image for larger annotated version
The Andes Mountains are part of the Southern Cordillera formed from
subduction zone volcanism at the convergent boundary of the Nazca plate
and the South American plate. Aracar volcano (summit elev. 6,082 m) is one
of many volcanoes in the Andes Range. It is a steep-sided stratovolcano
with a youthful-looking summit crater 1-1.5 km in diameter. It is located
just east of the Argentina-Chile border. Well-preserved lava flows are
found at its base. Prior to a report of ash columns from the summit in
1993, the volcano was not known to be active and very little is known of
the volcano's age and history.
The large whitish features are very common in the arid Andes; they are
called salars. The term salar is used exclusively of the saltwater
wetlands of the Puna (high Andes) and can describe not only salt lakes but
also temporary marshes, shallow lakes and lagoons, or simply salt crust.
The nearby Salar del Hombre Muerto is being put into mineral production.
The endeavor is expected to become one of Argentina's biggest mines,
producing up to 20,000 tons of lithium carbonate and lithium chloride per
year, to be extracted by pumping from the area's lithium-rich saltbeds.
Photojournal note:
EarthKam was formerly known as KidSat. To see images of KidSat, see
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/KidSat .
