Skip to main content
Log in

The age and significance of the tenango basalt, central Mexico

  • Published:
Bulletin Volcanologique Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Tenango Basalt, which forms a prominent isolated mesa 19 km south of Toluca, is made up of four associated flows of blocky andesitic basalt lava extruded from three separate centres about 8,500 years B.P. There are no associated pyroclastics or cinder cones and the viscous magma may have come up NE-trending fissures associated with a major E-W fault cutting Tertiary andesites immediately to the south. The lavas rest on re-worked pyroclastic deposits derived from the neighbouring major stratovolcano, Nevado de Toluca, and locally overstep onto the fault-scarp. The stream pattern resulting from this blocked drainage is described. The fault, part of a widespread system associated with basaltic volcanism in central Mexico, is probably early Pleistocene in age.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bloomeield, K., andValastro, S., 1974,Late-Pleistocene eruptive history of nevado de Toluca volcano, central Mexico. Bull. Geol. Soc. Am.,85 (in the press).

  • Einarsson, T., 1949,The eruption of Hekla 1947–1948: IV.3. The flowing lava. Studies of its main physical and chemical properties. Soc. Scient. Islandica. Revkjavik, 70 pp.

  • Fries, C. Jr., 1960,Geologia del Estado de Morelos y de partes adyacentes de México y Guerrero, region cemral meridional de México. Univ. Nal., Auton. México. Inst. Geol., Bol.,60, 236 pp.

  • Krauskopf, K. B., 1948,Lava movement at Paricutin volcano, Mexico. Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer.,59, p. 1267–1284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, G. A., 1967,Forms and structures of extrusive basaltic rocks. In:Basalts, The Poldervaart trcatise on rocks of basaltic composition,1, Ed. H. H. Hess and A. Poldervaart, Interscience, N. York, p. 1–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Middlemost, E. A. K., 1972,A simple classification of volcanic rocks. Bull. Volcanol.,36, p. 382–397.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moosfr, F., 1969,The Mexican Volcanic Belt — Structure and development. Formation of fractures by differential crustal heating. Pan American Symposium on the Upper Mantle, Mexico, 1968, v. 2: Group II: Upper mantle, petrology and tectonics, p. 137–141.

    Google Scholar 

  • ----- andGuerrero, D., 1961,Mapa Geologica de Toluca. Scale 1:50,000 (unpubl.).

  • ————— andMaldonado-Koerdell, M., 1961,Mexican National Report on Volcanology. Anales del Instituto de Geofisica, U.N.A.M., VII, p. 46–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piña Chan, R., 1972,Teotenango — primer informe de exploraciones arqueológicas, enero a septiembre de 1971. Dirección de Turismo, Gobierno del Estado de México, Toluca, México, 34 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rittmann, A., 1952,Nomenclature of volcanic rocks. Bull. Volcanol.,12, p. 75–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, S. R., 1969,Trace element geochemistry of anesites and associated calc-alkaline rocks. InMcBirney, A. R. (Ed).Proceedings of the andesite conference. State of Oregon, Dept. of Geol. and Mineral. Ind., Bull.,65, p. 43–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, G. P. L., 1971,Compound and simple lava flows. Bull. Volcanol.,35, p. 579–590.

    Google Scholar 

  • —————, 1973,Lengths of lava flows. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.A, 274, p. 107–118.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bloomfield, K. The age and significance of the tenango basalt, central Mexico. Bull Volcanol 37, 586–595 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02596893

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02596893

Keywords

Navigation