Volcano Mountain

Infobox Mountain
Name=Volcano Mountain
Photo=
Caption=
Elevation=1,239 metres (4,065 feet)
Location=Yukon, Canada
Range=Yukon Ranges
Prominence =
Coordinates = coord|62.93|N|137.38|W|type:mountain_region:CA
Topographic
NTS 115.I/14
Type=Cinder cone
Volcanic_Arc/Belt= Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province
Age=Holocene?
Last eruption=
First ascent=
Easiest route=

Volcano Mountain is an active cinder cone in central Yukon Territory, Canada, located a short distance north of Fort Selkirk, near the confluence of the Pelly and Yukon Rivers. Volcano Mountain is called Nelrúna in the Northern Tutchone language.

Geology

Volcano Mountain is the youngest volcano in the Fort Selkirk Volcanic Field and one of the youngest in the northern section of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province. The lava at Volcano Mountain is called olivine nephelinite, which is a very uncommon type of lava. This type of lava is believed to have come from much deeper inside the Earth than the basaltic lava. The last eruption from Volcano Mountain produced young nephelinitic lava flows that remain unvegetated and appear to be only a few hundred years old. However, dating of sediments in lake impounded by the lava flows indicated that the youngest flows could not be younger than mid-Holocene and could be early Holocene or older.

Volcanic hazards

Future eruptions from Volcano Mountain would probably be lava flows, since there is a lack of pyroclastic material. The main hazards from Volcano Mountain are forest fires started by the lava flows. Older volcanic deposits south of Volcano Mountain indicate that lava flows may have once partly blocked or at least altered the course of the Yukon and Pelly Rivers. Any future activity in this area could disrupt the course of both of these major rivers and could have a serious impact on people living or working downstream.

ee also

*List of volcanoes in Canada
*Volcanism in Canada

External links

* [http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/volcanoes/cat/feature_volcano_e.php Natural Resources Canada]
* [http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/north_america/canada/Final-vm.html Volcano World]
* [http://gsc.gc.ca/volcanoes/cat/volcano_e.php?id=svb_vmt_112 Catalogue of Canadian volcanoes: Volcano Mountain]