Puru Volcano

Puru Volcano

Introduction: Puru Volcano is actually a layer of volcanic lava originating from the southern Kunlun Mountains. Its activity dates back to approximately 1.43 million years ago. The lava layers are distributed on the high terraces on both sides of the middle reaches of the Keriya River. The volcanic lava consists of two layers: the lower layer is 7 meters thick and composed of volcanic agglomerate and dense massive lava, covering the gravel. The contact surface shows signs of baked gravel layers; between the two layers lies a 12.3-meter-thick gravel layer, while the upper lava layer is 20 meters thick, consisting of agglomerate, dense massive rock, and vesicular rock.

Both the upper and lower lava layers were formed during the Early Pleistocene of the Quaternary period, representing basalt (trachyandesite) from two separate volcanic eruptions in different periods. The basalt forms the steep cliffs of the terraces, resembling numerous strangely shaped monsters gazing into the distance — a spectacular sight. The volcanic rocks cover the gravel layer of the river’s sixth-level terrace, which is overlain by a layer of aeolian sandy loess. Both volcanic activities occurred in the high-altitude regions of the southern Kunlun Mountains and were of significant scale, making them highly important for the study of the formation and environmental evolution of the Tibetan Plateau and the Kunlun Mountains. Puru Volcano remains in its pristine, well-preserved state.　

Xinjiang Hotan