The volcano is just south of Sairecabur, a group of volcanoes which rises to and is an apparent source of recent volcanic activity. East of Licancabur is its companion volcano, Juriques. This -high volcano has a large——deep crater and is considered a parasitic cone. West-east alignments of volcanoes like Licancabur and Juriques are common in the region, due to tectonic influences. Araral, Cerro Cabana, Cerro Canapa, Cerros de Tocorpuri, Cerro Linzor, Inacaliri, Inca, Jardin, Putana, Volcan Tatio and Zapaleri are other volcanoes in the neighbourhood of Licancabur. southeast, the volcanic chain continues with Tocol, the Purico Complex and the -high Llullaillaco. Volcanoes in the Puna de Atacama formed during the Pliocene on Tertiary dacite, liparite and rhyolite ignimbrites. These rocks have a light colour, due to the rhyolite. Licancabur was formed over 1.35-million-year-old Purico, La Pacana and Chaxas ignimbrite. The Chaxas ignimbrite erupted 1.09 ± 0.56 million years ago.