Nazko Cone

Nazko Cone
Nazko Cone, the easternmost and youngest volcano overlying the Anahim hotspot
Highest point
Elevation	1,230 m (4,040 ft)
Listing	List of volcanoes in Canada
Coordinates	52°55′38″N 123°44′2″W / 52.92722°N 123.73389°W / 52.92722; -123.73389
Geography
Nazko Cone Location in British Columbia
Interactive map of Nazko Cone
Location	Last eruption	5220 BCE ± 100 years

Nazko Cone

The eruptive cycle of Nazko Cone 7200 years ago started with the eruption of two different progressions of fluid lava flows, an older grey basalt overlain by a younger, darker black basalt. The passive eruptions were followed by a period of explosive eruptions.^[1] This explosive activity built three overlapping cinder cones near the end of the explosive phase of activity. The last phase of explosive activity spread tephra to the north and east of the cones. The deepest deposits near the cones are over 3 m deep and thin to less than a few centimetres only a few kilometres away, which suggests that the explosive eruptions at Nazko Cone were fairly small. However, the last eruption from Nazko Cone could have started forest fires, since there is charcoal inside the tephra layer.^[1]

The volcano has been

Nazko Cone has been an intensively monitored volcano by the Geological Survey of Canada since October 10, 2007.^[2]

One of the most important tools is seismometry. About 5 seismometers were set up around Nazko Cone to enable scientists to measure the intensities and locations of hundreds of small earthquakes every day. Since then, there have been more than 1000 small earthquakes recorded. Earthquakes can begin to increase years before an eruption actually starts.

Another type of seismic activity occurs in the hours preceding an eruption. So-called harmonic tremor is a continuous "rumble" which contrasts with the normal seismic activity of sudden shocks and is believed to be caused by the rapid movement of magma underground. Volcanic tremor normally indicates an imminent eruption, although it may also be caused by shallow intrusions of magma which do not reach the surface.

Another important indicator of what is happening underground is the shape of the volcano. Tiltmeters measure very small changes in the profile of the volcano, and sensitive equipment measures distances between points on the volcano. As magma fills the shallow reservoirs below the summit, the mountain inflates.

Nazko Cone was staked for mining its cinder and scoria in the early 1990s by the Canadian Pumice Corporation, and has since been steadily reduced to produce red industrial aggregate for landscaping.

Before mining, the Nazko Cone was also a unique ecosystem. The vegetation included a complex of species. Very large old

There were some shallow caves and hollows below the volcano. To the west, following the lava flow mentioned above, is a unique wetland which appears to be saturated ash. What makes it unique is the fact that normally wetlands are saturated organic material such as peat moss. The wetland at Nazko Cone, however, is mixed organic and lava or ash, and the resultant ecosystem is quite unexpected.

High heat flow in the Nazko Cone area is being evaluated as a potential source of geothermal heating.

• Anahim hotspot
• Anahim Volcanic Belt
• Ilgachuz Range
• Itcha Range
• List of volcanoes in Canada
• Rainbow Range
• Volcanology of Canada
• Volcanology of Western Canada

• "Nazko". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
• Volcano World description