Several Plinian eruptions have occurred on Socompa. Several dates have been obtained on Socompa rocks, including 2,000,000 ± 1,000,000, 1,300,000 ± 500,000, 800,000 ± 300,000 and less than 500,000 years ago. An age of 3,340,000 ± 600,000 years may be of an older volcano, now buried beneath the Socompa edifice. Lava domes and lava flows on the southern side of the volcano have yielded ages of 69,200 ± 6,000, 31,400 ± 3,200, 29,800 ± 3,300 and 22,100 ± 1,900 years ago. After the sector collapse 7,200 years ago, activity continued filling the collapse scar. The explosion craters on the summit are the youngest volcanic landforms on Socompa, one dome in the scar has been dated to 5,910 ± 430 years ago. An eruption 7,220 ± 100 years before present produced the El Túnel pyroclastic deposit on the western side of Socompa. The youngest eruption was dated to have occurred 5,250 years before present. The absence of moraines on Socompa suggests that volcanic activity occurred during the post-glacial time. The volcano also has a young appearance, similar to historically active Andean volcanoes such as San Pedro, implying recent volcanic activity. There is no evidence for historical activity at Socompa and the volcano is not considered an active volcano, but both fumarolic activity and the emission of have been observed. The fumarolic activity occurs at at least six sites and is relatively weak; anecdotal reports indicate a smell of sulfur on the summit. Socompa is considered to be Argentina's 13th most dangerous volcano out of 38. Apart from the Socompa railway station and mining camps west of the volcano, there is little infrastructure that could be impacted by future eruptions. Large explosive eruptions during summer may result in pyroclastic fallout west of the volcano, while during the other seasons fallout would be concentrated east of it. Groundwater is warmer and richer in the closer to Socompa it is pumped, also suggesting that volcanic gas fluxes still occur at the volcano and that the volcano influences groundwater systems. Hot springs are found at Laguna Socompa as well. In 2011, the Chilean mining company Escondida Mining was considering building a geothermal power plant on Socompa to supply energy; the Argentine Servicio Geológico Minero agency started exploration work in January 2018 for geothermal power production. See also List of volcanoes in Argentina List of volcanoes in Chile List of Ultras of South America Notes References