37.85 S, 71.17 W
summit elevation 2997 m
Copahue Volcano is located in central Chile, east of the South Volcanic Zone of the Andes, and on the border with Argentina. The volcano contains a 6.5 x 8.5 km wide caldera, and a 2 km long, line of nine craters.
The eastern summit crater of Copahue Volcano contains an acidic 300 m-wide crater lake. A small glacier provides meltwater to the crater lake. The crater lake and hot springs are both fed by deep hydrothermal fluids, which contain up to 70% magmatic brine. Both the lake and the hot spring had high concentrations of toxic elements; arsenic, lead, beryllium, zinc, and chromium.
An eruption occurred at Copahue volcano on 22nd December 2012. Ash reached an altitude of 31,000 ft and extended 110 km southeast of the volcano. Satellite images showed sulphur dioxide plume from Copahue eruption reached Tristan da Cunha in the south Atlantic Ocean 2700 km ENE of the volcano on 24th December 2012.
An eruption of Copahue began on 1st July 2000. This was the largest eruption at the volcano in 100 years. Eruption of lapilli, ash, and bombs occurred at the volcano. Bombs up to 13 cm in diameter, were ejected more than 8 km from the summit, and ash fell 100 km away. Over a five day period, more than 50 phreatic explosions were reported. Strombolian eruptions began on 6th July and continued for another six weeks.
A new eruptive cycle began in July 1992. The crater lake explosions ejected rock fragments, white dust, large amounts of green and yellow liquid sulphur.
2012-13, 2000, 1992, 1961, 1937, 1867?, 1759?, 1750