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Croscat

Coordinates:42°9′15″N2°32′9″E/ 42.15417°N 2.53583°E/42.15417; 2.53583
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Croscat
Aerial view of the Croscat volcano
Highest point
Elevation786 m (2,579 ft)[1]
Coordinates42°9′15″N2°32′9″E/ 42.15417°N 2.53583°E/42.15417; 2.53583
Geography
Parent rangeCatalan Transversal Range
Geology
Volcanicarc/beltGarrotxa Volcanic Field
Last eruption11,500 years ago[2][Note 1]

TheCroscat(Catalan pronunciation:[kɾusˈkat]) is avolcanoin thecomarcaofGarrotxa,Catalonia,Spain.It is both the youngest and highest volcano in theIberian Peninsula,with the last eruption dated back to about 14,000 yearsBefore Present.[3]Thevolcanic conehas ahorseshoeshape, and its northeastern flank was quarried for volcanic gravel until the early 1990s, exposing the internal structure of the cone from top to bottom. The volcano is located in theGarrotxa volcanic field,aQuaternaryvolcanic fieldalso known as Olot volcanic field, as part of theprotected areaof theZona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Park.[1][4]

Geology

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The cone has a height of 189.04 metres (620.2 ft)[Note 2]and anellipticalbase with ahorseshoeshape, probably caused by the breaching of the western-side of the volcano as a result of theeffusionof lava flows during the last eruptive phase of Croscat.[5][6][7]Tis lava creates lots oftossolsin this Área.

A study published in 2011 at theJournal of Volcanology and Geothermal Researchrevealed that theSanta Margarida Volcanoand the Croscat were the product of the same eruption event 11,500 years ago, alternatingphreatomagmatic activity,between water andmagma,andmagmaticactivity.[2][5]

The internal structure of the cone has been exposed by mining operations.

Human history

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Starting from the 1960s, the northeastern flank of the volcano was quarried forlapilligravel.[7]The extraction of material from the volcano cone and the degradation of the volcanoes of theGarrotxa Volcanic Fieldsparked a series of protests in the 1970s to protect the volcanic field, a campaign that came to be known asSave the Volcanoes(Catalan:Salvem els Volcans).[8]The extraction area was also used as an uncontrolled municipallandfillfor the city ofOlot.In 1982 theZona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Natural Parkwas created to protect the area but the extraction lasted for another nine years. Further protests were sparked after an agreement was reached between theconcessionaireof the quarry,Minas de Olot, SA,and theGeneralitat of Cataloniafor the further extraction of 2.7 million tons with educational and scientific purposes, with the commitment of restoration of all excavated areas. The successive non-fulfillment of the restoration program resulted in the issue of at least ten disciplinary proceedings in the subsequent years.[7]The mining operations were stopped in 1991, when theGeneralitat of Cataloniaacquired the majority of shares of the mining company.[9]

The extraction left a vent 100 metres (330 ft) high and 400 metres (1,300 ft) long covering around 40degrees.[1]In the 1990s a territorial landscaping project was undertaken to restore the extraction site and the landfill to recover the morphology of the base of the volcano and the pastures surrounding the area. The project, which won an award for landscape design, minimized the landscape impact, prevented erosion and planned public access for educational purposes.[9]When visiting this Área its mandatory for everybody to pay for parquing the car in the Can Serra área and also in other parkings. Also for guided groups they need to do a reservation for visiting croscat volcano, and When entering to the volcano they have to do a check in in the Can Passavent House. [10]

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Its last eruption is estimated to have occurred around 11,500 or 11,000 years ago depending on the source.
  2. ^The height of the cone is given as 156 metres (512 ft), 160 metres (520 ft) or 189.04 metres (620.2 ft) depending on the source.

References

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  1. ^abcMallarach, Josep Maria (4 May 1991)."Croscat, el gigante de los volcanes"[Croscat, the giant of the volcanoes].La Vanguardia(in Spanish).Retrieved18 March2012.
  2. ^ab"Descubren que volcanes Croscat y Santa Margarida los formó la misma erupción"[They discover that the Croscat and Santa Margarida volcanoes were formed by the same eruption].EFE(in Spanish). abc.es. 27 January 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 14 July 2014.Retrieved18 March2012.
  3. ^Sana, Maria."14C dating of the last Croscat volcano eruption (Garrotxa Region, NE Iberian Peninsula) | Maria Sana".Academia.edu.Retrieved2013-08-31.
  4. ^"Geozona 210 Volcans Santa Margarida, Croscat i Rocanegra"[Geozone 210 Santa Margarida, Croscat and Rocanegra volcanoes](PDF).Departament de Medi Ambient i Habitatge - Direcció General del Medi Natural(in Catalan). gencat.cat. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 13 April 2012.Retrieved28 March2012.
  5. ^abMartí, J.; Planagumà, L.; Geyer, A.; Canal, E.; Pedrazzi, D. (2011). "Complex interaction between Strombolian and phreatomagmatic eruptions in the Quaternary monogenetic volcanism of the Catalan Volcanic Zone (NE of Spain)".Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research.201(1–4): 178–193.Bibcode:2011JVGR..201..178M.doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.12.009.
  6. ^Di Traglia, F.; Cimarelli, C.; De Rita, D.; Gimeno Torrente, D. (2009). "Changing eruptive styles in basaltic explosive volcanism: Examples from Croscat complex scoria cone, Garrotxa Volcanic Field (NE Iberian Peninsula)".Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research.180(2–4): 89.Bibcode:2009JVGR..180...89D.doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2008.10.020.
  7. ^abc"Máster en Espacios Naturales Protegidos"[Master in Protected Areas](PDF)(in Spanish). Generalitat de Catalunya. 2010. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 13 April 2012.Retrieved18 March2012.{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help)
  8. ^Bassols, Emili (2007)."Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa. 25 anys de gestió del territori"[Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. 25 years of land management.](PDF).Annals del Patronat d'Estudis Històrics d'Olot i Comarca(in Catalan) (18): 189–245. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 13 April 2012.Retrieved18 March2012.
  9. ^abBassols, Emili (2008)."Els volcans salvats"[The volcanoes saved](PDF).Revista de Girona(in Catalan) (251): 60–65.Retrieved18 March2012.
  10. ^"10. Croscat Natural Reserve".Generalitat de Catalunya.gencat.cat. 9 April 2012.Retrieved18 March2012.
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