Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185

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Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research

j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s ev i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / j vo l g e o r e s

Retroarc volcanism in the northern San Rafael Block (34°–35°30′S), southern Central
Andes: Occurrence, age, and tectonic setting
Andrés Folguera a,⁎, José A. Naranjo b, Yuji Orihashi c, Hirochika Sumino d, Keisuke Nagao d,
Edmundo Polanco b, Victor A. Ramos a
a
Laboratorio de Tectónica Andina, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires — CONICET, Argentina
b
Servicio Nacional de Geológía y Minería, Casilla 10465, Santiago, Chile
c
Earthquake Research Institute, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan
d
Laboratory for Earthquake Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: One of the major retroarc volcanic provinces in the southern Central Andes (34° and 37°S) is developed in the
Received 16 October 2008 Andean foothills of the San Rafael region between the orogenic front and foreland basement uplifts of Late
Accepted 30 June 2009 Miocene age. Here we present the first comprehensive geochronological study of the Quaternary volcanism,
Available online 7 July 2009
previously dated mainly on the basis of stratigraphy. The new unspiked K–Ar radiometric and two
radiocarbon determinations encompass many volcanic centers, most of them monogenetic and of basaltic
Keywords:
retroarc basalts
composition exposed between 34° and 35°30′S. The data constrains the basaltic volcanism to between
back arc extension ~ 1.8 Ma and the Holocene. The spatiotemporal distribution of the ages indicates that eruption in the retroarc
Mendoza was episodic with some distinct patterns. The orogenic front of the San Rafael Block is associated with 1.8–
Payenia 0.7 Ma volcanic eruptions, while the Malargüe fold and thrust belt front in the Andean foothills is related to
K–Ar dating younger eruptions produced at 0.1–0.01 Ma. Both areas are associated with Late Cenozoic normal faults that
volcanoes dismembered an uplifted a Late Miocene peneplain as indicated by younger over older fault-relationships
between Paleozoic rocks and Tertiary strata. This linkage indicates a major relationship between Pleistocene–
Holocene retroarc eruptions of the basaltic centers, and extensional collapse of the foreland region, that
shows a migration of the last volcanic activity towards the trench.
© 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction related to strong asthenospheric influx due to the steepening of the

Jurassic to Neogene magmatism along the western South American
margin is the direct consequence of subduction of oceanic lithosphere.
While arc magmatism has been associated with a single phenomenon
related to the dehydration of the subducted oceanic crust at depth,
volcanism at retroarc positions (Fig. 1) has been explained by different
processes that encompass from development of asthenospheric win-
dows, back-arc extension, eastward arc migration due to shallowing of
the subducted lithosphere and lower lithosphere overheating due to slow
plate displacements (see discussion in Kay et al., 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007;
Risse et al., 2008). The largest—less than 5 Ma retroarc volcanic plateau in
the entire Southern Andes—corresponds to the Payenia volcanic field
(Fig. 1; 34°30′–38°S) (Muñoz and Stern, 1988; Stern, 1989) that covers
the Andean Late Miocene orogenic front. This has been explained as
⁎ Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: andresfolguera2@yahoo.com.ar, andes@gl.fcen.uba.ar
(A. Folguera), jnaranjo@sernageomin.cl (J.A. Naranjo), oripachi@eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp
(Y. Orihashi), sumino@eqchem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp (H. Sumino),
nagao@eqchem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp (K. Nagao).
subducted Nazca plate after a cycle of shallow subduction in the area (Kay
et al., 2006). Recently, seismic tomographies showed abnormal “heated”
sublithosphere beneath this volcanic province that supports the previous
hypothesis (Gilbert et al., 2006). Poor radiometric covering has not
allowed to reconstruct accurately eruptive evolution of the area, as well
as associated Quaternary tectonism.
Compositional variations and changes in volcanic and structural
style through time along the Present south Andean arc (Fig. 1), as well
as their related causes, have been discussed in numerous works (see
Jordan et al., 1983; Kay et al., 2005, among others). Regional studies
have shown the segmented nature of the volcanic arc from 2° N to
55° S, where around 200 stratovolcanoes and 10 potentially active
calderas are present (Stern, 2004; Stern et al., 2007). This segmenta-
tion is a direct consequence of many variable tectonic factors along the
western active margin of the South American plate, such as age of the
subducted oceanic floor and thickness of the Andean crust, that
determine distinctive geochemical patterns and consequent eruptive
mechanisms and type of volcanic rocks. These segments also show
remarkable variations regarding general ages of main volcanic
provinces and life-span of associated individual centers.

0377-0273/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2009.06.012
170 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185

Fig. 1. Southern Andean tectonic setting and Cenozoic retroarc plateau basalts in Patagonia. The Payenia plateau basalts constitute the largest retroarc volcanic province generated in
the last 5 Ma in the entire Southern Central and Patagonian Andes (taken from Ramos et al., 1982; Kay et al., 2006, 2007).

In this context, the Southern Volcanic Zone (Fig. 1) (SVZ, 33°–46° S) is
of special interest due to the occurrence of most of the active volcanoes
along the margin, and because of their relation to highly populated areas
on both slopes of the Andes. The northernmost section of this segment
around 33°S is characterized by a west to east arc to retroarc zoning
describing four discrete areas where eruptive styles, magmatic composi-
tion and volcanic types were highly variable during the Miocene to
Holocene time-interval: (1) the Maipo and its associated Diamante
caldera, Palomo, Tinguiririca, and Planchón volcanoes are the biggest
volcanic centers in this sector, and form the arc front located on the Main
Andes next to the continental divide (Fig. 2); (2) major volcanic centers
such as the Overo, Guanaquero and Sosneado volcanoes on the eastern
side of the Main Andes, although smaller than the ones located at the arc
front, defining the maximum heights of the eastern slope of the Andes
(Fig. 3); (3) Immediately to the east, over the orogenic front a series of
monogenetic basaltic fields named the Hoyada, Lagunita, Loma Negra and
Hoyo Colorado (Fig. 3); (4) further to the east, emplaced around the San
Rafael Block (Figs. 2–4), a basement block uplifted in the foreland area.
In this paper we focus on the last two groups, describing their age
and morphology, and finally their structural control. We present the first
unspiked K–Ar data set of the region to temporally define this retroarc
province, hosted in the northern San Rafael Block (34°–35°15′S), east of
the Main Andes (Figs. 2 and 3). Then, we present an evolutionary model
for the progression of Quaternary deformation in the area and related
volcanism.
2. Previous work in the region
Several workers have studied partial aspects regarding the retroarc
associations that are present at the San Rafael Block and in the eastern
Andean foothills. Since the ´70 these studies have intended to
interpret these mafic fields from a tectonic point of view using very
limited radiometric tools, as well as geochemical analyses. Valencio
et al. (1970) performed the first temporal determinations, using the
K–Ar method and paleomagnetic analyses over Pleistocene volcanic
sequences south of the latitude of the present study. Then Toubes and
Spikermann (1979) obtained K–Ar ages in Pliocene to Pleistocene
volcanic successions through the San Rafael Block, and found the
oldest ages for these retroarc associations. Araña Saavedra et al.
(1984) studied these retroarc volcanics between 34° and 37°S
determining an alkaline signature and a magmatic source enriched
in K, Al and Ti contents. These authors discussed their potential
linkage to the pre-Pliocene calc-alkaline volcanics outcropping in the
same area.
 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185 171

Fig. 2. Main morphotectonic units in the northern part of the Southern Andes and Payenia volcanic zone. Numbers indicate thickness in meters of Late Miocene accumulations related
to the Río Grande foreland basin (Yrigoyen, 1994) that was covered by retroarc volcanic rocks corresponding to the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field. Structure was compiled from
Polanski (1954, 1963, 1964), Desanti, (1956), González Díaz (1964, 1972a,b,c, 1979), Holmberg (1964, 1973), Fidalgo (1973), Núñez (1976 a, b, 1979), Delpino and Bermúdez (1985),
Cortés (2000).

Bermúdez and Delpino (1989) studied several aspects regarding
the volcanic associations cropping out between 35° and 37°S. First,
they recognized mesosiliceous volcanic rocks forming part of the
basement of the Pliocene to Pleistocene–Holocene mafic associations
more than 500 km away from the oceanic trench, similarly to Araña
Saavedra et al. (1984). Second, they related mafic widespread and
voluminous volcanic eruptions to an extensional retroarc setting,
interpreting them as a product of combined arc and intraplate sources
characterized by low melting percentages from the mantle. These
authors compared this volcano–tectonic setting with others through-
out the world where either the crust extends behind the arc front or
the crust collapses in an intraplate setting controlling the eruption of
tholeiitic to alkaline series, such as the Northern Island of New
Zealand, the Japan Sea, Korea, eastern China, Basin and Range province
in the western United States, and Río Grande rift in New Mexico.
In a regional analyses performed between 34° and 39°S, Muñoz et al.
(1989) recognized a series of N to NW-trending volcanic chains east of the
Late Pleistocene to Holocene arc front emplaced in the low lands of the
Main Andes. Those form part of a Pliocene to Lower Pleistocene arc very
well developed between 37° and 39° S, which indicates a strong
westward shifting of the arc front in the last 2 Ma. Those Pliocene to
Lower Pleistocene centers are forming andesitic and basandesitic
stratovolcanoes and rhyolitic and dacitic calderas. Both Late Pleistocene
to Holocene associations at the arc front, and the Pliocene to Lower
Pleistocene volcanoes in the western retroarc area are subalkaline (Fig. 2).
However, further to the east alkaline assemblages dominate
eventually over the eastern sector of the fold and thrust belt with a
few exceptions such as the Tromen volcano in the Chos Malal fold and
thrust belt around 36° S (see Kay et al., 2006). Muñoz et al. (1989) also
proposed that most of these alkaline associations were hosted in
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A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185
Fig. 3. Radiometric ages obtained in the present study from retroarc monogenetic basaltic cones. Note two groups differentiated by age: one older of Early Pleistocene located at the San Rafael Block on the Andean orogenic front, and another
younger at the eastern Malargüe fold and thrust belt of Late Pleistocene–Holocene (see details of the dated samples in Table 1).
 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185
Fig. 4. Morphotectonic map of the northern San Rafael Block and adjacent main cordillera, where the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field is displayed in relation to neotectonic activity in
the area. Note a general northwest structural trend associated with the retroarc eruptions as detected by Polanski (1963) and Cortés and Sruoga (1998). Structure is locally based on
Bastías et al. (1993), Lucero (2002) and Costa et al. (2004).
graben-like structures, which allowed to infer an extensional general-
ized tectonic setting between 34° and 39°S latitudes. Pliocene to
Lower Pleistocene arc-related rocks east of the Present arc front
(Fig. 2) have higher K2O ratios and higher amounts of incompatible
alkaline and light rare earth elements than the Late Pleistocene to
Holocene ones. 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratios for the arc-related eastern
series are between 0.7038 and 0.7042 independently of the SiO2
content, with similar ranges than the arc front, inferring a common
source in the arc zone for the Pliocene to Holocene lapse.
Composition of the arc association is sensitive to fractional
crystallization which leads to a progressive increase in K2O, light
rare earth, and incompatible element contents. Other proposed
process that constrained compositional variations through time is a
decrease in the degree of partial melting for the youngest associations.
South of 39°S Muñoz et al. (1989) recognized a clear difference, not
distinguishable north of this latitude, between arc, and retroarc-
alkaline associations. Progressive increase in the age of the subducted
oceanic floor to the north and subduction of the Valdivia fracture zone
at 39°S (Fig. 1) were invoked as the main mechanisms controlling
those major changes at this latitude.
Bermúdez et al. (1993) discriminated retroarc volcanic associa-
tions located between 35° and 37°S in two separate volcanic fields,
Llancanelo (10,700 km2) and Payún Matrú (5200 km2), that constitute
the Payenia volcanic province (Fig. 1). Both developed from Pliocene
to Holocene times with four peaks of intensity nucleated in 3.6 Ma
corresponding to the 5.1–2.6 eruptive stage, 1.7 Ma, corresponding to
the 2–1.5 Ma interval, 450 ka, corresponding to the 650–100 ka
173
interval, and finally a fourth category in the Holocene, mainly based on
morphological criteria. The first three stages are based on radiometric
and paleomagnetic studies (Valencio et al., 1970; Mendía and
Valencio, 1987; Muñoz et al., 1987; Linares and González, 1990)
complemented by lithostratigraphic and morphological analyses
(Bermúdez and Delpino, 1989). Bermúdez et al. (1993) characterized
on physical, petrological and geochemical grounds those time-
categories comparing them with the arc front at the same latitudes
represented by the Tatara–San Pedro complex and the Planchón
volcano (Fig. 2) (see Dungan et al., 2001).
In relation to contemporary-to-volcanism structure, Cisneros and
Bastías (1993) studied neotectonic deformations at the eastern border
of the San Rafael Block that affected retroarc monogenetic basaltic
fields, detecting an important NNW-trending alignment, where Las
Malvinas fault zone was recognized (Fig. 4) (Cisneros et al., 1989). This
area was associated with the Villa Atuel-Las Malvinas earthquake in
May 30, 1861 that destroyed Las Malvinas and Villa Atuel villages
(Fig. 4), whose effects were interpreted as liquefaction in saturated
sand soils. Other important earthquakes developed in this area
correspond to San Carlos, (August 29, 1861), immediately to the
north of the study area, and General Alvear (October 4, 1913) (Fig. 4).
They also recognized other fault systems located in the opposite west
border of the San Rafael Block as related to neotectonic deformations,
particularly in the Carrizalito range (Fig. 4), where morphotectonic
parameters indicated left lateral transtensional faults. These Quatern-
ary faults were recognized as exerting a strong control in the eruption
of Neogene and Quaternary volcanic chains aligned along NNW and
174 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185
NW trends, located mainly at the eastern border of the San Rafael
Block. Recurrence in the activity during Quaternary times is also
inferred by younger faulting affecting lava flows that had been
emplaced in transtensional structures. Theoretical estimations sug-
gest the occurrence of M 5.14 and maximum accelerations in the order
of 88.96 cm/seg2 for Colonia Las Malvinas and 57.68 cm/seg2 for Villa
Atuel (Fig. 4).
Cortés and Sruoga (1998) identified a structural control for
monogenetic basaltic cones erupted at the Andean foothills east of
the Carrizalito range (34°–34°30′S) between the Papagayos and
Diamante rivers (Fig. 4). They have interpreted their links to
Pleistocene and Holocene faults with extensional components.
Naranjo et al. (1999a) characterized compositionally a monogenetic
basaltic–andesitic field in the eastern fold and thrust belt at the Salado
river (around 35°30′S), 70 km east of the arc front, known as the
Infiernillo volcanic field (Fig. 4). These centers show a strong extensional
control as depicted by Dajczgewand (in press), who described a normal
fault with basaltic feeders along the Salado river. Their chemistry is also
significantly different from the arc front at these latitudes when
compared with the Planchón center (Naranjo et al., 1999b), which is
characterized by a higher differentiated source potentially connected to
a contrasting compressive regime at the western Andes.
In relation to physical volcanology, south of the San Rafael Block
and north of Río Colorado (Fig. 2), 40 monogenetic volcanic centers of
eastern volcanic field were studied by Bertotto et al. (2006), who
described variations between Strombolian and Hawaiian activity for
the formation of successions of weakly welded lapilli and bomb beds
and agglutinated spatter beds. Part of these eruptions comprises one
of the longest pahoehoe inflated basaltic lava flows in the Payenia
volcanic province (Pasquaré et al., 2008). Recently, Risso et al. (2008)
described the Llancanelo volcanic field south of the Malargüe town
with similar characteristics (Fig. 2).
3. Tectonic setting
The analyzed volcanic field is within the Andean Southern Volcanic
Zone (SVZ) (Fig. 1) as defined by López Escobar et al. (1977, and
contemporary works cited herein) and popularized in subsequent works
(Stern, 2004, among others). On the tectonic point of view it is part of the
southern Central Andes (27°–38°S) that are formed by two broad
segments differentiated by structural styles and degree of shortening
absorbed in the Neogene. The northern limit of the study area roughly
coincides with the southern end of the Pampean flat slab subduction
segment of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate (27°–33°S;
Barazangi and Isacks, 1976). This boundary is the northern end of a
normal subduction segment developed to the south of 33°S (Jordan et al.,
1983; Ramos et al., 2002). Morphotectonic changes along strike are
gradual and strongly influenced by pre-existing heterogeneities previous
to the Andean deformation, such as rift systems and thick sedimentary
prisms represented by the Meso-Cenozoic basins.
The Andes, south of the present flat slab zone, between 34° and
35°30′S are formed by two distinct mountain systems separated by a
Neogene foreland basin: the Main Andes encompassing the arc and
western retroarc areas, and the San Rafael Block in a foreland position
(Figs. 2 and 4). The Main Andes constitutes the drainage divide
between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans that has been shaped from 19
to 17 Ma with the tectonic inversion of the Eocene–Late Oligocene
Abanico Basin (Godoy et al., 1999; Charrier et al., 2002, 2005). This
basin fill is presently exhumed at the western side of the Andes. The
eastern Andean sector has been constructed by the stacking of Late
Triassic half-grabens and locally by thin-skinned structures that
deformed late Mesozoic and Cenozoic successions from 15 to 8 Ma
(Giambiagi et al., 2008). Andean uplift at these latitudes was recorded
in the Río Grande Basin, a more than 2500 m thick foreland basin
developed between 34° and 37°S that has been partially cannibalized
because of the uplift of the San Rafael Block to the east, during the
onset of a shallow subduction zone from 34°30′ to 37°S (Fig. 2)
(Ramos and Folguera, 2005; Kay et al., 2006). Land mammal bearing
synorogenic sequences were exposed in the Middle to Late Miocene,
which constrained the last phase of orogenic uplift at these latitudes
(Soria, 1983). At this time, Middle to Late Miocene arc-derived
volcanic rocks were emplaced over the eastern flank of the Main
Andes as well as on the San Rafael Block, more than 500 km away from
the trench (Giambiagi et al., 2005, 2008; Kay et al., 2006). Widespread
intraplate volcanic rocks were erupted mainly around the San Rafael
Block and Río Grande Basin during Pliocene to Pleistocene times
(Bermúdez et al., 1993), while small amounts were concentrated in
the eastern Malargüe fold and thrust belt as described by Cortés and
Sruoga (1998) and Saavedra (in press) (Fig. 2). Those are uncom-
formably covering the Late Miocene compressive structures and are
mainly hosted in extensional troughs that are displacing previous
structures. Main Pliocene to Pleistocene troughs in the region are the
Llancanelo Basin (Fig. 2), located in the Río Grande foreland basin
south of the study area, where monogenetic basalts are forming an
almost continuous volcanic field covering folded synorogenic and
modern piedmont deposits. Another important trough, the Nihuil
Basin, has a series of NW extensional faults which are affecting the
backlimb of the San Rafael Block producing a series of half-grabens
where basaltic volcanic fields were erupted (Figs. 2 and 4).
During the last million years, minor transpressional deformation
affected the eastern front of the San Rafael Block (Bastías et al., 1993;
Costa et al., 2004, 2006; Lucero, 2002) deforming Pleistocene volcanic
sequences erupted during the aforementioned phase of extension in
the area. These deformations in the orogenic front are associated with
important evidence of crustal seismicity.
4. Mendoza retroarc volcanic field
The extensive Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field comprises more
than 400 (Bermúdez et al., 1993), or even around 800 (Risso et al.,
2008) monogenetic small volcanoes in addition to a number of
stratovolcanoes and shield volcanoes, distributed in an area of 10,000
to 20,000 km2, between 34° and 38°S (Fig. 2). In this paper we focus
the attention on the northern part of this area, around the San Rafael
tectonic block, from 34° to 35°10′S (Figs. 3 and 4).
Monogenetic volcanoes and composite stratocones within the
Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field are clustered, but they also constitute
linear chains that follow tectonic structures or are distributed on the
flanks of large shield volcanoes such as Payun Matrú volcano to the
south of the area.
Due to the low erosion rates in a fairly dry climate, relative dating
based on their geomorphology is difficult. Thus, we have employed
unspiked K–Ar geochronological techniques to describe the activity and
longevity (Fig. 3 and Table 1), as well as related neotectonic setting of
this volcanic field. At this stage, the main physical features of the
Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field include a number of individual vents,
their distribution and relationship to modern faults. In the Table 2, it is
summarized some individual physical characteristics and longevity, of
the northern part of the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field. This can be
considered as a large but low density volcanic field compared for
example with the Springerville volcanic field, Arizona, USA (Condit and
Connor, 1996). The study area has approximately 84 vents formed over
the last 1.7 Ma, although co-genetic origin for multiple vents could also
have occurred. Thus, cases of alignment of different cones might be
considered to represent single volcanic events.
In terms of spatial distribution and relative chronology among
vents, short local alignments show no shift in their locus, but large-
scale shifts have been observed from east to west along parallel
structures trending NW. Vent clusters consisting of a 1 to 10 individual
vents also show this general pattern within the northern Mendoza
Basaltic Volcanic Field. It can be estimated that the distribution of
clusters can be directly correlated with the distribution of main faults.
 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185 175

Table 1
Analytical values of the unspiked K–Ar ages.
40 38
Sample no. K Ar rad Ar/36Ar (40Ar/36Ar) initiala Age Air fraction
(wt.%) 10 −8 3
cm STP/g Fractionated Ar assumed (Ma) (%)

a) Río Salado Group

1 Las Hoyadas 090499-1C 1.35 ± 0.04 − 0.26 ± 0.36 0.18758 ± 0.00049 294.7 ± 1.5 − 0.049 ± 0.068 100.4
2 Las Hoyadas 090499-2 1.29 ± 0.04 0.08 ± 0.38 0.18785 ± 0.00047 295.5 ± 1.5 0.015 ± 0.076 99.90
3 Las Hoyadas 090499-3A 1.28 ± 0.04 0.02 ± 0.58 0.18797 ± 0.00054 295.9 ± 1.7 0.005 ± 0.116 99.98
4 Lagunilla1 111199-2 1.18 ± 0.04 0.15 ± 0.30 0.18746 ± 0.00040 294.3 ± 1.3 0.034 ± 0.066 99.78
5 Hoyada 111199-5 1.09 ± 0.03 0.29 ± 0.21 0.18723 ± 0.00035 293.6 ± 1.1 0.069 ± 0.050 99.48
6 Lagunilla 2 111199-6 1.20 ± 0.04 0.51 ± 0.47 0.18714 ± 0.00052 293.3 ± 1.7 0.10 ± 0.10 99.39

b) Papagayos Group
7 Los Leones W 081199-1 1.09 ± 0.03 2.56 ± 0.15 0.18835 ± 0.00045 0.607 ± 0.039 95.88
8 Pozo 081199-8A 0.80 ± 0.02 0.796 ± 0.048 0.18824 ± 0.00046 0.257 ± 0.017 96.70
9 Pozo 081199-9 0.99 ± 0.03 0.408 ± 0.039 0.18832 ± 0.00040 0.106 ± 0.011 98.68
10 Pozo 081199-10 0.98 ± 0.03 0.350 ± 0.039 0.18805 ± 0.00059 0.092 ± 0.011 98.75

c) Los Tolditos Group

11 Chato 091199-8 1.16 ± 0.03 2.83 ± 0.15 0.18873 ± 0.00049 0.631 ± 0.039 89.93
12 Rodeo 091199-9 1.10 ± 0.03 3.17 ± 0.17 0.18866 ± 0.00051 0.739 ± 0.045 86.54
13 Rodeo 091199-10B 1.04 ± 0.03 2.77 ± 0.15 0.18800 ± 0.00054 0.684 ± 0.042 91.45

d) Diamante Volcano Group

14 Diamante 091199-13 0.70 ± 0.02 1.349 ± 0.084 0.18785 ± 0.00044 0.495 ± 0.034 97.42
15 Diamante 091199-14 1.26 ± 0.04 0.268 ± 0.021 0.18752 ± 0.00047 0.0546 ± 0.0046 98.72
16 Diamante 091199-15B 1.51 ± 0.05 0.478 ± 0.028 0.18791 ± 0.00044 0.0817 ± 0.0053 96.66
17 Diamante Basement 091199-16 1.49 ± 0.04 42.8 ± 2.2 0.18801 ± 0.00058 7.38 ± 0.43 39.35
18 Diamante 091199-17 1.14 ± 0.03 2.24 ± 0.12 0.18793 ± 0.00077 0.505 ± 0.031 95.19
19 Diamante 101199-10A 0.86 ± 0.03 1.616 ± 0.086 0.18785 ± 0.00064 0.484 ± 0.030 94.48
20 Diamante 101199-10B 1.06 ± 0.03 4.77 ± 0.26 0.18793 ± 0.00056 1.164 ± 0.073 77.05
21 Diamante 101199-12 0.98 ± 0.03 0.950 ± 0.060 0.18851 ± 0.00047 0.251 ± 0.018 97.05
22 Diamante 101199-13 1.79 ± 0.05 0.375 ± 0.039 0.18783 ± 0.00056 0.0540 ± 0.0059 99.12

e) Medio Group
23 Ao Hondo NW 101199-2 1.09 ± 0.03 1.89 ± 0.10 0.18769 ± 0.00049 0.449 ± 0.028 91.33
24 Ao Hondo 101199-4 1.08 ± 0.03 1.82 ± 0.10 0.18800 ± 0.00040 0.434 ± 0.027 93.06
25 Loma del Medio 101199-6A 1.12 ± 0.03 0.590 ± 0.049 0.18829 ± 0.00045 0.136 ± 0.012 98.63

f) Las Malvinas Group

26 Negro 111202-1A 0.92 ± 0.03 2.87 ± 0.15 0.18842 ± 0.00043 0.801 ± 0.049 84.20
27 El Puntudo 111202-2 0.93 ± 0.03 3.35 ± 0.18 0.18781 ± 0.00045 0.932 ± 0.056 86.20
28 Guadal 111202-3D 0.78 ± 0.02 2.45 ± 0.14 0.18773 ± 0.00068 0.805 ± 0.051 85.93
29 Puntano 111202-4 0.83 ± 0.02 5.74 ± 0.30 0.18823 ± 0.00050 1.78 ± 0.11 93.53
30 Solo 111202-5 0.27 ± 0.01 0.801 ± 0.049 0.18781 ± 0.00047 0.750 ± 0.051 97.66

g) Guadal Volcano
31 La Carbonilla 121202-1A 1.30 ± 0.04 2.67 ± 0.14 0.18843 ± 0.00047 0.530 ± 0.033 95.76
32 La Carbonilla 121202-1B 1.34 ± 0.04 3.26 ± 0.17 0.18823 ± 0.00050 0.629 ± 0.038 95.49

h) Aisol Volcano
33 Nihuil 121202-2 0.88 ± 0.03 5.02 ± 0.26 0.18849 ± 0.00048 1.474 ± 0.089 84.25

(40Ar/36Ar) initial = 296. 0 is assumed. Error: 1s.

a 40
( Ar/36Ar) initial was estimated from the measured 38Ar/36Ar ratio, which was fractionated from the atmospheric value of 0. 1880.

Moreover, in some cases a strong correlation has been recognized
between structural trends and vent alignments which may indicate
contemporaneous cone building associated with single episodes of
dike injection (Fig. 4).
In the northern part of the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field,
Diamante volcano composite cone (Figs. 3 and 4) is the unique case
where magma supply has been sufficient to maintain a thermal
anomaly around a central vent. In the monogenetic cones magma
supply rates have been so low that new ascending magma batches
have found their own fault conduits to the surface, with no
opportunity to accumulate at shallow crustal magma chambers.
4.1. Eruptive centers in the northern part of the Mendoza retroarc
volcanic field
We have distinguished ~84 volcanic centers in the northern part of
the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field (Fig. 3, Tables 1 and 2), where
general morphological descriptions were available (Desanti, 1956;
González Díaz, 1972a; Bermúdez et al., 1993). Scoria cone is the most
common type and few examples of tuff rings and tuff cones also occur.
These commonly occur in groups, although isolated cones have been
distinguished. More complex structures such as Diamante stratovol-
cano and Negro small shield volcano are exceptional cases, as well as
lava flows with open craters as Hoyo Colorado, Hoyada and Lagunillas
among others (Naranjo et al., 1999a).
Cinder cones are truncated, conic or horseshoe-shaped, with
typical bowl-shaped craters in the younger examples, but no crater at
the top of the older ones. Elongate cones are scarce even in those built
above fissures, where more complex aligned vent systems occur. The
deposits of scoria cones typically consist of bombs, scoriaceous lapilli
and minor ash. Spatter cones and scoria-agglutinate cones consisted
largely of welded lava spatter are also common.
Conspicuous examples of maars are Pozo and Arroyo Hondo NW
volcanoes. The former consists of a NW oriented twin explosion craters
176 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185

Table 2
Main morphologic characteristics of the retroarc vents in the study area.

Volcano Morphology Elevation Diam (apron included) Emission-centre

(H, m) (km)
La Carbonilla Cone crater 120 m diameter 40 1.2
La Carbonilla SE No crater cone 80 3.5
Los Leones No crater cone 160 1.75 × 1
Los Leones W No crater cone b 15 0.4
Sepultura No crater cone and SE explosion crater 30 + 10 deep 0.5–0.5
Del Medio No crater cone 65 0.5
Gaspar No crater cone 75 0.75
Zorro No crater cone 40 0.9
Guadaloso No crater cone 65 2
Pozo NW oriented twin explosion craters-the Nested dome 50 m height–0.65 1.3 (2) Twin tuff ring craters
western-youngest diameter–58 m and 75 deep
Ao Hondo NW Explosion crater ring tuff 20 m deep 35 0.60 Twin tuff ring crater
Ao Hondo Pyroclastic cone with crater 185 1 0.2 km crater
2449 Pyroclastic cone with crater 176 0.9 0.25 km crater, b12 km lava flow
Loma del Medio 1 km diameter crater, 0.6 km nested cone 220 1.3 Multi-crater and nested cone
with a crater of 35 × 0.40 composed cone
2247 Pyroclastic cone with lava flows 200 1.3 Deformed crater
Bs Blancas 1 Pyroclastic cone 80 1 350 m flat crater
Bs Blancas 2 Pyroclastic cone 100 0.85 250 m flat crater
Bs Blancas 3 Pyroclastic cone 121 1 × 0,7 0.2 km crater
Bs Blancas 4 0.4
Bs Blancas 5 Explosion crater 10 m 0,4 Tuff ring crater 6 m deep
Bs Blancas 6 Uncratered cone 45 0.4 Uncratered cone 1.25 km lava flow
Bs Blancas 7 Uncratered cone 50 m 0.35
Bs Blancas 8 Pyroclastic cone 35 m 0.70 × 0.50 Open crater 0.24 km
Chato Asymmetric cone 40 2 × 1.6 Uncratered cone
Rodeo Cone 50 2.3 Uncratered cone
1784
del Medio Cone 40 1.5 0.17 m diameter crater, open to N
La Chilena Cone 45 2.3 Uncratered cone
Las Bolas 1 Cone 110 1.5 Uncratered cone, 1 km NE lava flow
Las Bolas 2 Eroded cone 108 1.5 Uncratered cone, NE lava flow
Diamantito (parasitic cone) 0.8
Diamante Stratovolcano 830 6.2 0.7 km diameter crater, 3 km lava flows,
15–20 m thick, parasitic cones
Diamante Basement
Morado Stratocone 140 3×2 0.25 km crater, 2.6 km lava flows,
25 m thick
Chico Stratocone 210 4 Uncratered stratocone
Chato W Extrusive dome 300 3.7 × 2.3 Torta dome
Negro WW Coulee 260 2.9 × 1.8 Torta dome
La Leña W1 Pyroclastic cone 70 1.3 Uncratered cone
La Leña W2 Torta dome coulee 60 2.9 × 2.2 Flowing from W
La Leña W3 Torta dome coulee 120 2 × 1.25 Flowing from W
La Leña Cone 200 2.9 × 2.3 Eroded crater cone
El Nihuil NW Eroded cone 50 3 Eroded crater cone
Nihuil Deeply eroded cone 270 6 Eroded crater cone
El Nihuil NE Lava field 100 4×2 Eroded emission centre
Nihuil S Deeply eroded cone 210 6.7 Eroded crater cone
Nihuil SW 1 Cone 20 2.5 Uncratered cone
Nihuil SW 2 Cone 20 2 Uncratered cone
Nihuil SW 3 1
Negro E Eroded cone 185 4.9 Uncratered cone
Negro Small shield volcanoes 275 10 × 7.5 Uncratered summit
El Puntudo Eroded shield 240 4 × 1.7 Not determinable
Solo Cone 21 0.5 × 0.3 Uncratered cone
Guadal Double crater cone 290 3.2 0.23 m craters
Morado N Eroded cone 190 2.4 0.24 km eroded crater
Morado S Elongated cone 220 2.7 × 1 Eroded summit craters
Aguirre Deeply eroded double cone 190 2.3 Eroded summit craters
El Chenque N 5–6 cone cluster b 70 1.45 total b 0.1 km craters
El Chenque Elongated cone 60 2.5 × 0.8 Eroded summit craters
El Chenque S Undetermined lava 70 3 No evidence
Aguirre W Eroded cone 90 1 Eroded crater
Aguirre SW Eroded cone 100 1.1 Eroded crater
Chihuido N Small cones aligned 55 1.5 × 0.4 Eroded summit craters
Ancho Elongated cone 305 5.1 × 3 2 summit crters 0.65 km, 100 m deep
Ancho S Deeply eroded cone cluster 265 3.5 Not determinable
Guadal E Compound cone 215 5 Multiple emission centres and crater
150 × 250 and eroded
Mesa Small stratovolcano cone and lavas 232 5.2 × 3 Partially eroded summit crater and
2.75 km lavas
La Parva Eroded cone 130 2.5 Eroded summit emission crentre
Punón Trehue Partually collapsed? Cone 440 6 Irregualar 0.3 × 0.2 crater
 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185 177

Table 2 (continued)
Volcano Morphology Elevation Diam (apron included) Emission-centre
(H, m) (km)
Chato 667 Cinder cone 45 1.3 0.25 km diameter semi-circular crater
Los Mojados Eroded cone 95 1.7 0.2 km diameter semi-circular crater
Los Embanques Deeply eroded cone cluster 140 2.7 × 2 Multiple emission centres and
destroyed crater
de los Chanchos Deeply eroded cone 115 2.8 Eroded summit emission centre
Castrino Deeply eroded cone 80 2.3 Eroded summit emission centre
Mal Barco Lava flow 120 0.9 (7.5 km long lava) Uncratered dome
Hoyada Open crater and lava flow 50 0.5 0.27 diameter and 50 m deep crater,
2.8 km long lava flow
Lagunilla Open crater and lava flow 50 0.6 0.34 diameter and 50 m deep crater,
2.4 km long lava flow
Lagunilla 1 Flat lava cone–coalescence craters 100 0.65 70 m deep 0.43 × 0.3 km double crater
Lagunilla 2 Double lava cone 36 0.65 × 0.46 Doubles crater NW–SE 0.12–0.16 diam
(16–40 mdeep, respectively)
Loma Negra Open crater lava cone and flow 40 0.6 30 m deep SE open crater,
1.6 km long lava
Mesillas Pyroclastic cone and lava flow 125 1.2 0.35 km diam open S crater;
2.3 km long lava
Laguna Blanca Flat lava? Cone 70 1.4 0.3 km diam 5 m deep crater
Hoyo Colorado Lava field 40 0.6 2.2 to 4 km long and b 45 m thick lavas

already interpreted as maars by Cortés and Sruoga (1998). A 650 m
diameter and 50 m high dome is nested within the western and
youngest crater. The eastern maar is clearly excavated in the piedmont
substrate, where ignimbrite deposits dated in 0.450 Ma (Stern et al.,
1984) are exposed about 10 m under the present surface (Fig. 5A–E).
Their deposits are composed of juvenile pyroclastic (lapilli and bombs)
and accidental clasts derived from the subvolcanic basement including
gravels from the piedmont, where magma–water interaction occurred
in the shallow water-table (Fig. 5D).
Negro volcano consists of a small 10 × 7.5 km uncratered shield
volcano with a 275 m high summit (Fig. 6). On the other hand,
Diamante is a 6.2 km diameter stratovolcano, with a 0.7 km diameter
summit (830 m high) crater, 3 km lobed blocky lava flows of 15–20 m
thick and a couple parasitic cones. Other pyroclastic cones are aligned
and fault controlled (Fig. 7).
Four examples of lapilli and ash dispersion lobes from different vents
are conspicuously distinguishable on the piedmont surface, demonstrat-
ing the Pleistocene arid prevailing climatic conditions of the area. In fact,
western Pozo tuff ring explosion generated a 20 km long by 6 km wide
dispersion lobe directed to the east (Fig. 5D), which clearly overly the
dispersion lobe of Arroyo Hondo cone, a 33 km long by 10 km wide lobe
dispersed to the northeast. The same direction took the tephra dispersion
of the easternmost vent of Loma del Medio, producing a 20 by 10 km lobe.
Finally, one of the last summit eruptions of Diamante volcano originated
an elongated ash dispersion lobe of 46 km long and a maximum of 15 km
wide, also directed to the northeast. They consist of veneer deposits of
lapilli size of dense juvenile scorias and accidental lithics.
5. K–Ar dates and analytical procedure
The first thirty three K–Ar ages for the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic
Field were determined using the unspiked sensitivity method, in which
the radiogenic 40Ar concentration is determined by a direct comparison
between the 40Ar/36Ar ratio and 40Ar signal intensity of the samples and
those of volumetrically calibrated amount of atmospheric Ar at the same
condition of the mass spectrometer. The technique can precisely date
younger rocks than 0.1 Ma since it permits measurement of small
amounts of radiogenic 40Ar and determines the isotopic composition of
the initial Ar in the sample by measuring 38Ar/36Ar without assuming
that the 40Ar/36Ar ratio in sample is equal to the modern atmospheric
value of 296 (e.g., Nagao et al., 1991; Matsumoto and Kobayashi, 1995;
Orihashi et al., 2004; Scaillet and Guillou, 2004).
Ar analyses were performed using a noble gas mass spectrometer MS-
III (modified-VG5400) in the Laboratory for Earthquake Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo. The crushed and sieved
whole rock sample (0.3–0.6 g) was fused at 1700 °C and evaporated gas
was purified and analyzed. Ar isotope analyses were made on a relatively
small amount of sample Ar gas (b2×10− 7 cm3 STP). If the amount of
Ar gas extracted from the sample exceeded this limit, the amount of
Ar gas was reduced using the purification line. Errors on 40Ar
sensitivity and 40Ar/36Ar ratio are estimated to be 5% and 0.2%,
respectively, based on repeated measurements of the atmospheric
standard containing 1.5 × 10− 7 cm3 STP of 40Ar. K concentration was
determined for an aliquot of the crushed and sieved whole rock
fraction used for Ar analysis by the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method
(Phillips PW 2400) at Earthquake Research Institute, the University of
Tokyo. Details of procedures applied for dating are described in Nagao
et al. (1991) and Orihashi et al. (2004).
Geochronological results and analytical values are indicated in
Table 1. The errors shown in the Table 1 are 1σ of single analysis of each
sample, including statistical errors associated with ion collection of Ar
isotopes and errors in blank correction (less than 1% of the sample gases)
and in the sensitivity and discrimination factors of the mass spectro-
meter. Most 38Ar/36Ar ratios for the samples were in agreement with
the modern atmospheric value of 0.1880 within the range of analytical
error by 2σ. Six samples have either lower 38Ar/36Ar ratio (0.18723;
#11199-5) than the atmospheric value beyond the range of the analyti-
cal error or negative values (#090488-1C, 2 and 3A, #111199-2 and 6)
in K–Ar age calculated by the conventional method. In these cases, the
mass fractionation effect was corrected using the measured 38Ar/36Ar
ratios of these samples and then K–Ar ages were recalculated.
6. Discussion
6.1. Structure of the San Rafael Block
The San Rafael Block is an east-verging asymmetric basement block
(Figs. 2, 4 and 7). Its eastern steeper flank is associated with a series of
high angle faults that uplift Late Triassic clastic sequences over their
basement constituted by Paleozoic sequences highly deformed in Early
Permian times (Figs. 6 and 8) (González Díaz, 1964).
These faults are mainly the result of inverted normal faults that
constituted the western edge of the Triassic Alvear Basin located to the
east and buried beneath thick piles of Tertiary synorogenic sequences
(Figs. 2 and 8). The Alvear Basin constitutes the southern end of a
series of extensional troughs of Late Triassic age that were partially
incorporated in the fold and thrust belt (Ramos and Kay, 1991) (Figs. 7
and 8). The structural sections of the Andean orogen, where vergence
is mainly controlled by the polarity of previous normal faults, are
defined by thick-skinned deformation, such as in the San Rafael Block
178 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185

and the Malargüe fold and thrust belt at the same latitudes (Fig. 8) deformation and the Andean inverted thrusts that have exhumed a
(Kozlowski et al., 1993; Giambiagi et al., 2008). Therefore, the Paleozoic peneplain which defines its morphology (Figs. 4 and 8). This
northern half of the San Rafael Block (34°–35°30′S) is characterized foreland system joins at its northern edge the Main Andes front
by a marked NW trend defined by the strike of Triassic extensional through the incorporation of the Río Grande foreland basin in the
 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185 179

Fig. 6. Eastern neotectonic front of the San Rafael Block. Late Triassic half-grabens are defining the eastern edge of this system controlling the emplacement of Early–Middle
Pleistocene monogenetic basaltic fields. (A) Vertical displacements in Pleistocene lavas associated with reverse faulting at the eastern San Rafael Block. (B) 3D digital elevation model
superimposed to TM and interpretation of basement structure, vertically exaggerated X4. Note the easternmost inverted halfgraben producing an eastward facing scarp affecting
Pleistocene Cerro Negro lavas dated in 0.801 ± 0.049 Ma (see Fig. 3 for location).

tectonic wedge constituting a series of low hills (Yrigoyen, 1993),
while to the south the two systems are highly differentiated by the
maximum longitudinal development of the Río Grande Basin in
between (Figs. 2 and 3).
Contrastingly, the western edge of the San Rafael Block is defined
by a series of normal faults that are affecting up to Middle–Late
Miocene strata of the Aisol Formation. The northwest-trending Valle
Grande and Carrizalito faults have down-thrown blocks to the west,
and can be interpreted as normal faults with minor transtensional
components (Fig. 7). Both have recorded normal displacements
affecting previously folded Paleozoic sequences. Their displacements
together with other minor faults in the area produce the gradual
sinking of the Paleozoic peneplain and exhumed Neogene sequences
beneath alluvial fan deposits that are flanking the San Rafael Block
(Figs. 7 and 8). Most of these faults are spatially associated with
Pleistocene monogenetic centers in the area (Fig. 7). Their vents are
usually aligned through fault scarps, and occasionally lava emissions
are faulted as revealed by satellite images and radar topography
(Fig. 7). However, stronger indicators of post-Pleistocene deformation
are present at the eastern edge of the San Rafael Block, where lavas
associated with monogenetic activity are vertically and laterally
displaced and even folded with an east-vergence (Fig. 6) (Costa
et al., 2006).
Structure associated with Pleistocene eruptions is particularly
revealed at the northernmost half of the San Rafael Block, where
minor isolated patches of basaltic cover allow visualizing the relation
with their basement in comparison with the southern sector.
6.2. Structural control on basaltic eruptions in the northern San Rafael
Block
The northern part of the San Rafael Block has widespread
neotectonic activity (Polanski, 1963) and has been affected by
extensional deformation after the deposition and uplift of the
synorogenic sequences in Late Miocene times. However, Pleistocene
volcanic sequences have also been affected by those fault systems
indicating a much younger tectonic activity (Figs. 6 and 7). Four NW-
trending fault systems can be individualized in relation to Quaternary
eruptions in the area, that partially complement those described even
further north by Cortés and Sruoga (1998). The Carrizalito fault
(Fig. 7) defines the western border of the San Rafael Block at 35°S
(González Díaz, 1964). This structure is well developed at surface
defining a tectonic contact between Paleozoic basement and Cenozoic
strata, but it is neither associated with young indicators of tectonic
activity, nor important volumes of erupted volcanic material. On the
contrary, the eastern fault systems of the San Rafael Block show robust
morphological evidence of more recent activity deforming Pleistocene
lava flows (Figs. 6 and 7). The Valle Grande fault is a conspicuous west
facing scarp determining a normal relationship between Permian
rocks to the east and Late Miocene sediments to the west and controls

Fig. 5. (A) View to the east of El Pozo volcanic field (see Fig. 3 for location) corresponding to the youngest volcanic centers in the area with ages between 0.1 and 0.6 Ma. Note the
proximal facies of the pyroclastics plume ejected to the east from the El Pozo volcanic center and the northwest-trending lineament that controlled the emplacement of the other
cones (3D perspective). (B) Panoramic view to the southwest of the western El Pozo maar, unspiked concordant ages of 0.106 ± 0.011 and 0.092 ± 0.011 Ma were obtained for the
nested lava dome (Table 1). (C) Panoramic view to the northeast of the eastern El Pozo maar. The excavated substrate clearly shows the ignimbrite interbedded in the piedmont.
Remnants of a small lake deposits are exposed at the bottom. (D) Flat-bedded and surge layers exposed in the crater wall of the eastern El Pozo maar. Basaltic juvenile bombs (dated
in 0.257 ± 0.017 Ma) together with angular fragments of broken country rocks and palagonitised lapilli and ash form the constructional pyroclastic part of this maar. (E) Landsat
image showing examples of tephra dispersion lobes from different volcanoes of the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field. The dark colour of the veneer deposits is mainly given by coarse
ash to medium lapilli size dense juvenile scoriaceous pyroclasts.
180 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185
Fig. 7. Northern section of the San Rafael Block where the neotectonic eastern front is associated with monogenetic basaltic eruptions. The K–Ar radiometric ages obtained in this
study are also indicated.
the emplacement of minor monogenetic volcanoes (Fig. 7). El Jilguero
and Cerro Negro faults are associated with east facing scarps that set
the limits of the San Rafael Block through its eastern border (Figs. 6
and 7). These two fault systems are the ones that concentrate the
clearest evidence of young deformation in the area and have
constituted the most important paths for basaltic eruption. Cerro
Negro, Solo, Puntano, and Guadalito, with ages comprised between
0.95 and 0.75 Ma (Figs. 4 and 7 and Tables 1 and 2), are the most
prominent volcanoes resting over the eastern edge of the San Rafael
Block, showing evidence of Pleistocene reactivation of those systems.
Cerro Negro volcano and neighbor basaltic cones are affected by east
facing scarps that displace younger than 1 Ma rocks at the
prolongation of the mountain front (Figs. 6 and 7).
6.3. Structural controls on basaltic–andesitic eruptions in the eastern
Malargüe fold and thrust belt
A series of minor monogenetic cones are located at the eastern
Malargüe fold and thrust belt next to the orogenic front (Figs. 3 and 4)
among which Hoyada, Lagunitas and Puesto Pérez volcanoes are the
most prominent vents (Naranjo et al., 1999a) with ages one order of
magnitude younger than the previously described group (Fig. 3, Table
1). Those radiometric ages are in accordance with a radiocarbon age of
0.0123 ± 0.00016 Ma age from organic sediments of dammed
lacustrine deposits associated with volcanic activity in the area
(Fig. 3). Moreover, those ages are within the range of 0.0065 ± 0.0005
to 0.0060 ± 0.0008 Ma obtained by 3He dating determined from
altered exposed material (Fig. 4; Marchetti et al., 2006).
These centers are controlled by a pattern of north-trending faults
corresponding to Infiernillo fault system (Fig. 4) (Kozlowski et al., 1993;
Dajczgewand, in press) that truncated the Late Miocene contractional
structure and the previous Cenozoic synorogenic deposits.
Further to the east at these latitudes, Saavedra (in press) described
north of the Río Diamante a series of monogenetic cones, as the Cerros
Chato and Negro de las Mesillas, and other basaltic cones, which were
controlled by northeast-trending faults with clear evidence of neotec-
tonic activity (Figs. 3 and 4). The lavas and pyroclastic flows were
separated in early and late Pleistocene groups by Saavedra (in press). The
oldest ones were affected by the orogenic front, while the youngest
cones were associated with neotectonic features that affected Los
Mesones Formation of Middle Pleistocene age. The Cerro Negro and
Cerro Chato were interpreted as younger than 0.450 Ma, because they
are developed above the Los Mesones Formation, first aggradation level
in the foothills. This contains the pyroclastic levels associated with the
Diamante Caldera deposits (Cortés and Sruoga, 1998) dated by fission-
tracks in 0.47 Ma and 0.44 Ma of zircon separates by Stern et al. (1984).
This caldera produced the catastrophic emplacement of ~350 km3
of ignimbrites, which were widespread over most of the retroarc
plains of the region (Guerstein, 1990), as well as over the Andean
forearc (Stern et al., 1984). The present Maipo Volcano built within
the Diamante Caldera and had more than seven eruptive stages in
the last ~100,000 years (Sruoga et al., 1998).
6.4. Quaternary tectonic evolution of the northern San Rafael Block
and eastern Malargüe fold and thrust belt, and its relation to
retroarc volcanism
The previous results show that the Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field
is a considerably young retroarc volcanic field, less than 1 Ma in most
cases and even younger than 100 ka in the westernmost analyzed area.
 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185 181

Fig. 8. Structural cross section at 34°30′S from the eastern Malargüe fold and thrust belt (based on Giambiagi et al., 2008) and the San Rafael Block to the east. Both systems where
uplifted in Late Miocene times, and show extensional deformation during the last 2 Ma. These structures are spatially and temporally associated with retroarc volcanic eruptions.
Attenuated lithosphere geometry beneath the San Rafael block and Payenia volcanic field is taken from Gilbert et al. (2006).

These basaltic rocks were emplaced over old Neogene contractional
structures systematically associated with Pleistocene–Holocene exten-
sionally reactivated faults between 34° and 35°30′S and even further
south, beyond the scope of the present work. Their dispersion is
intimately related to the development of neotectonic activity in the area.
The eruptions of the El Pozo volcanic field with an age of
~ 92,000 years are covering a piedmont aggradation surface in the
western retroarc region (Figs. 3 and 4). The pyroclastic deposits of
~ 450,000 years, associated with the Diamante Caldera, are 10 m
beneath the present surface.
The structures in the eastern San Rafael Block exert a strong
control in the eruption of Pleistocene retroarc monogenetic
volcanoes, through the activity of mainly the Cerro Negro and El
Jilguero fault systems (Figs. 7 and 8). On the other hand, the eastern
Malargüe fold and thrust belt has controlled the eruption of
younger than 100 ka material through the El Infiernillo fault system
(Figs. 4 and 8). These two fault groups associated with retroarc
volcanoes remain spatially individualized with the exception of the
northernmost sector of the study area where they interact with
each other (Fig. 4). There, at the piedmont sector described by
Cortés (2000), a series of very oblique WNW-trending normal faults
of the Carrizalito fault system are joining the Malargüe fold and
thrust belt orogenic front (Fig. 4), where the Diamante volcanic
field is associated with the only polygenetic vent corresponding to
the Diamante stratovolcano.
The extensive Mendoza Basaltic Volcanic Field here described
constitutes part of an extended but low density large Pleistocene–
Holocene basaltic volcanic field developed after the main Andean
orogenic phase of contraction in the retroarc foothills of the Southern
Andes achieved in Late Miocene times. Their vents are linked to
Quaternary extensional relaxation of the orogen at these latitudes.
The unspiked K–Ar technique that can precisely date younger rocks
than 0.1 Ma ages applied in this study produced the first
comprehensive geochronological data set of these volcanic fields.
Then a precise sequence of volcanic events can be determined as well
as the progression of Quaternary deformation in the area to which
volcanism is related. After a cycle of eastward displacement/
expansion of the arc front between 19 and 4 Ma (Fig. 8) a magmatic
retreat can be determined. Extensional collapse and related retroarc
volcanism has started at the eastern border of the San Rafael block at
1.8 Ma, staying at this outer position at some 0.7 Ma (Figs. 8 and 9).
Then a jump in retroarc volcanic activity to the Rio Grande foreland
basin and western San Rafael block is registered that lasted until
0.1 Ma (Figs. 8 and 9). Structural control in the 0.7–0.1 Ma volcanic
stage describes a NW band parallel to the 1.8–0.7 eruptions and
displaced some 40–50 km to the southwest (Fig. 9). Finally, a new
retreat in volcanic activity is registered in the last 0.1 Ma to the
easternmost Malargüe fold and thrust belt (Fig. 9). Westernmost
volcanic field, active in the previous 0.7–0.1 Ma interval, next to the
Malargüe orogenic front, remains active at the time of the youngest
eruptions (Fig. 9).
Then a retraction in retroarc volcanic activity can be determined for
the last 1.7 Ma between 34° and 35°30′S at the site where the arc
migrated/expanded over the eastern slope of the Andes until 4 Ma. This
retraction in retroarc volcanic activity and associated extensional
mountain collapse are therefore proposed to be linked to the
steepening of the subducted slab after a cycle of shallow subduction
in the area.
Acknowledgements
Field work and logistics of the present study (Andrés Folguera,
Victor A. Ramos, José A. Naranjo) were financially supported by
grant PICT 14144/03 of the Agencia de Investigación Científica and
Tecnológica of Argentina; Fondecyt Project 1960186, Conicyt, Chile
(José A. Naranjo) and Science Research Project from the Ministry
of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology, Japan (no.
13373004) (Yuji Orihashi). The authors kindly acknowledge the
members of Laboratorio de Tectónica Andina for critical comments
and support.
182 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185
 A. Folguera et al. / Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 186 (2009) 169–185 183

Appendix A

Major element compositions of the whole rocks of Table 1.

Sample no. SiO2 TiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O P2O5 Total FeOa/MgO Mg#a K2O + Na2O Alkalinityb
(wt.%)
a) Río Salado Group
1 Las Hoyadas 090499-1C 54.96 1.00 17.15 8.29 0.14 4.87 7.55 3.77 1.58 0.29 99.62 1.53 53.78 5.37 − 0.61
2 Las Hoyadas 090499-2 54.89 0.99 17.01 8.16 0.14 5.22 7.94 3.84 1.51 0.32 100.04 1.41 55.89 5.35 − 0.52
3 Las Hoyadas 090499-3A 55.61 0.97 17.04 8.08 0.14 4.92 7.23 3.87 1.54 0.33 99.73 1.48 54.68 5.43 − 0.78
4 Lagunilla1 111199-2 46.60 1.28 14.51 10.79 0.18 11.70 10.50 2.72 1.26 0.44 99.99 0.83 68.22 3.99 1.17
5 Hoyada 111199-5 53.06 1.06 17.07 8.59 0.14 6.33 8.66 3.59 1.36 0.31 100.16 1.22 59.32 4.94 − 0.23
6 Lagunilla 2 111199-6 53.63 0.99 17.50 8.28 0.13 5.51 8.31 3.59 1.48 0.34 99.76 1.35 56.86 5.08 − 0.38

b) Papagayos Group
7 Los Leones W 081199-1 46.76 1.29 16.30 10.08 0.18 8.39 12.00 2.82 1.40 0.45 99.68 1.08 62.23 4.24 1.31
8 Pozo 081199-8A 45.68 1.44 14.67 10.71 0.18 11.05 10.81 2.84 0.93 0.53 98.84 0.87 67.13 3.81 1.14
9 Pozo 081199-9 45.34 1.53 14.20 10.88 0.18 11.47 11.46 3.02 1.18 0.54 99.80 0.85 67.61 4.21 1.83
10 Pozo 081199-10 45.80 1.60 14.88 10.85 0.18 10.98 10.93 3.05 1.30 0.52 100.08 0.89 66.72 4.34 1.84

c) Los Tolditos Group

11 Chato 091199-8 44.96 1.33 15.14 11.54 0.18 10.95 11.85 2.57 1.35 0.64 100.52 0.95 65.26 3.90 1.78
12 Rodeo 091199-9 45.73 1.23 14.30 10.94 0.18 10.23 13.73 2.14 1.03 0.68 100.20 0.96 64.93 3.17 0.71
13 Rodeo 091199-10B 46.24 1.49 15.90 10.72 0.18 8.32 12.20 3.18 1.23 0.48 99.94 1.16 60.59 4.41 1.72

d) Diamante Volcano Group

14 Diamante 091199-13 47.29 1.57 15.10 11.61 0.17 10.01 10.00 3.33 1.03 0.42 100.53 1.04 63.04 4.34 1.36
15 Diamante 091199-14 49.28 1.43 16.95 9.48 0.17 6.43 11.21 3.34 1.58 0.43 100.29 1.33 57.32 4.90 1.15
16 Diamante 091199-15B 54.06 1.10 18.16 8.33 0.15 3.55 8.35 3.86 2.23 0.33 100.13 2.11 45.75 6.08 0.53
17 Diamante Basement 091199-16 60.64 0.65 17.83 5.53 0.17 1.47 6.20 4.29 2.61 0.24 99.63 3.39 34.45 6.92 − 1.17
18 Diamante 091199-17 45.28 1.63 15.20 11.43 0.18 10.37 10.78 3.34 1.38 0.59 100.18 0.99 64.25 4.71 2.41
19 Diamante 101199-10A 46.85 1.16 14.72 10.65 0.15 10.91 11.67 2.71 1.01 0.37 100.20 0.88 66.97 3.71 0.84
20 Diamante 101199-10B 45.54 1.43 16.00 10.57 0.18 9.37 12.23 3.15 1.30 0.51 100.28 1.02 63.68 4.44 2.06
21 Diamante 101199-12 46.12 1.55 18.00 10.94 0.17 5.94 12.81 3.04 1.22 0.36 100.14 1.66 51.79 4.26 1.65
22 Diamante 101199-13 52.51 1.09 19.06 8.67 0.18 2.55 8.14 4.12 2.25 0.42 98.99 3.07 36.74 6.44 1.24

e) Medio Group
23 Ao Hondo NW 101199-2 53.63 1.03 17.40 8.57 0.14 5.66 8.28 3.71 1.40 0.32 100.14 1.36 56.66 5.10 − 0.28
24 Ao Hondo 101199-4 46.33 1.32 15.40 10.53 0.18 10.89 10.51 3.09 1.46 0.48 100.19 0.87 67.19 4.54 1.86
25 Loma del Medio 101199-6A 46.65 1.38 14.75 10.47 0.17 10.79 11.18 3.04 1.39 0.42 100.24 0.87 67.10 4.41 1.63

f) Las Malvinas Group

26 Negro 111202-1A 47.80 1.43 16.20 9.97 0.17 7.30 10.60 3.32 1.60 0.41 98.79 1.23 59.17 4.98 1.51
27 El Puntudo 111202-2 47.07 1.51 15.48 11.19 0.17 9.10 10.98 3.19 1.16 0.17 100.02 1.11 61.69 4.36 1.37
28 Guadal 111202-3D 47.56 1.41 15.53 11.35 0.18 9.82 9.93 3.36 1.16 0.17 100.47 1.04 63.14 4.50 1.41
29 Puntano 111202-4 48.21 1.46 14.55 11.03 0.17 10.41 9.00 3.15 1.10 0.19 99.26 0.95 65.15 4.28 0.74
30 Solo 111202-5 46.34 1.33 14.94 10.70 0.18 10.21 11.67 3.01 0.25 0.05 98.70 0.94 65.39 3.31 0.37

g) Guadal Volcano
31 La Carbonilla 121202-1A 48.32 1.83 17.50 11.35 0.17 5.35 10.52 3.44 1.15 0.36 99.99 1.91 48.25 4.59 1.14
32 La Carbonilla 121202-1B 49.11 1.40 16.06 9.88 0.17 7.60 10.00 3.51 1.69 0.23 99.65 1.17 60.36 5.22 1.42

h) Aisol Volcano
33 Nihuil 121202-2 48.20 1.59 15.45 11.85 0.18 8.45 9.88 3.38 1.05 0.31 100.35 1.26 58.53 4.42 1.07
a
Mg# = 100 Mg/(Mg + Fe2+) calculated with FeO⁎ = 0.9 Fe2O3.
b
Alkalinity = (K2O + Na2O) − 0.37 (SiO2 − 39).

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