Mt. Cameroon, Cameroon McKayla Blanch and Caroline Ferguson Dept. of Geology, Colby College ctH9D1-ctH5ub-ctHabA-ctH75Q-ctH3RY-7FEmh6-cx6ZJu-cx71wh-cx717C-9a1M1G-5Y6DGf-8giBNa-8w4cV2-cxENHA-5uqsgT-515uTd-eaLCA4-7JBen8-ctHb6S-cxDbru-ctH7wj-eMQBmE-ctH2z3-6NDn8h-6NDnkA-6NDnfw)

Basic Information ● Stratovolcano ● West Coast of Africa ● Native name: Mongo ma Ndemi (“Mountain of Greatness”) ● Elevation: 13,435 ft (4,095 m) o Highest point in sub-Saharan western and central Africa ● Elliptical shape Photo Credit: Evan Schiff, flickr ( ( (

( ( guinea-expedition-redux) The Cameroon Volcanic Line - Chain of volcanoes - Rifting fissures in Earth’s crust - Pathway of hot spots

( ( 20-jours-limbe.htm) ( Central African Shear Zone - Wrench fault system - NNE-direction - Fissure forming continental portion of Cameroon Line - Mt. Cameroon

Structure ● Cinder cones and lava flow deposits ● Hundreds of cinder cones (large and small) form peaks and true summit ( Two major peaks… o Fako: Larger (highest point); another name for Mt. Cameroon itself o Etinde: Smaller (“Little/Small Mt. Cameroon”) cone-shaped structure Two major maars… ○Debundscha Point: Larger maar, hidden beach coves on slopes ○Bomana: Small waterfall (“Bomana Falls”), water falling from 100 meters

conservation-mount-cameroon/ mount-cameroon/

Eruptions and Volcanic Hazards ● Active volcano with 20 confirmed eruptions ● Most recent eruption February 3, 2012 ● Devastating eruption in May of 2000, killing 23 people ● 1982 eruption, two towns evacuated and damage to plantations ● Usually strombolian eruptions ( Lava flow during 1999 eruption ( 0450BCE Mt. Cameroon produces and is produced by three main types of volcanic activity: ● Effusive eruptions ● Explosive activity ● Hydromagmatic activity

Volcanic Hazards cont’d ● Debundscha Point, some of heaviest rainfall in the world ● Population of ~500,000 live around the volcano ● Lake Nyos, a volcanic lake, releases CO2 into atmosphere, killing livestock and 1,700 people 0

Rocks and deposits ● Volcanic Rocks o Sodic alkaline series  Basanites  Alkaline basalts  Hawaiites  Mugearites ● Minerals o Olivine o Plagioclase o Alkali feldspar Alkaline Basalt Mugearite Hawaiite laketurkana-northern-kenya- / Kena*jpg/ volcans.com/glossaire.php?mot=basanite Basanite

Other Interesting Info ● Rich volcanic soils support bananas, rubber, oil palms and tea Mount Cameroon Francolin Limbe Beach ● Home to three unique bird species! ● Tourism: o ~1,000 people trek the Mountain/yr o Black-sand beach in Limbe o Mountain Marathon ● Geothermal Energy o Potential research for Cameroon

Geophysical/active monitoring Monitoring volcanic activity with seismometers to help predict if and when an eruption is probable

Bibliography "Cameroon." Global Volcanism Program | Cameroon. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan "Mount Cameroon Race of Hope Marathon - The Official Globe Trekker Website." The Official Globe Trekker Website. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan "Mt. Cameroon National Park." Mount Cameroon Trekking. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan Seach, John. "Mt Cameroon Volcano." Volcano Live. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan Suh, C. E., R. S. J. Sparks, J. G. Fitton, S. N. Ayonghe, C. Annen, R. Nana, and A. Luckman. "The 1999 and 2000 Eruptions of Mount Cameroon: Eruption Behaviour and Petrochemistry of Lava." Bulletin of Volcanology 47 (2009): Web. Tsafack, Jean-Paul F., Pierre Wandji, Jacques-Marie Bardintzef, Hervé Bellon, and Hervé Guillou. "The Mount Cameroon Stratovolcano (Cameroon Volcanic Line, Central Africa): Petrology, Geochemistry, Isotope and Age Data." GEOCHEMISTRY, MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY 47 (2009): Web. "Volcano World." What Is Known about the Volcanoes of Cameroon? N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Jan