Page 225 - Volcano and Geothermal Tourism

Case Study 12

Geothermal Attractions and

Active Volcanoes in China

Malcolm Cooper the Kunlun Group has occurred uniformly for the
last 40,000 years at a rate of 1.1cm/yr, giving a
cumulative offset of more than 400m, with
Introduction resulting periodic massive earthquakes and volcanic
The most recent volcanoes of China are distributed events (70 pyroclastic cones; Seach, 2009).
generally in the north and west of the country A newly discovered field is that of Arshan
(Jilin, Heilongjiang Provinces, Nei Mongolia, (Arxan) in Inner Mongolia, 70km from the border
Tibet) or the south west (Hainan, Qiongzhou with Mongolia. The field includes cinder cones,
Strait, Tengchong). It is possible to find pyroclastic sheets and lava flows, with more than
representatives of almost all types of former 40 cinder cones in the group. The most recent
volcanic activity in these areas, from basaltic eruptions occurred at Yanshan cone (local relief
magmatic eruptions and phreatomagmatic 362m), and Gaoshan crater (140m deep) in
explosions, strato and shield volcanoes, lava cones, approximately 100 AD. Basaltic lava flows also
pyroclastic cones (spatter cones, cinder cones), lava occurred, creating six lava-dam lakes that are now
tubes and maars. An interesting feature of Chinese tourist attractions.
volcanoes is that they are designated as biosphere On a world-wide basis mud volcanoes are
reserves, national parks or, increasingly, national or remarkably uncommon, found in only about 20
provincial geoparks. Several have also been countries around the world, and they are highly
designated Global Geoparks (Table CS12.1). As a unpredictable. ‘Erupting’ at intervals and oozing
consequence they are important tourism resources streams of thick, sticky mud and flammable gas,
in educational and scenic terms, as well as for their mud volcanoes are a fascinating variant in our
current and/or past geothermal activity. catalogue of volcano-based tourism, and one exists
in Taiwan in the Southern-most county of Pingtung.
Geophysical aspects and This particular volcano erupts several times a year,
history of activity opening up a fresh crater in a new position each
time. Mud volcanoes are very common in Azerbaijan
There are a number of very large volcanic fields in and it is believed that nearly half of the world’s
China; the Hainan Dong on Hainan Island, for approximately 700 mud volcanoes are located in
2
example, covers 4100km . Another example is the this country (Gallagher, 2003).
Kunlun Volcanic Group that stretches some On a more traditional note, the Tengchong
1000km in Tibet. The underlying geological area in Yunnan is a large volcanic field located on
reason for this group structure is the Kunlun the border of the Europe-Asia continental plate,
strike-slip fault that bounds the north side of Tibet. and since 1500 AD there have been over 70
Left-lateral motion along the 1500km length of earthquakes in the area measuring 5 and over on

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