# Maitland Volcano

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Extinct volcano in British Columbia, Canada

Maitland Volcano Maitland Volcano Location in British Columbia Interactive map of Maitland Volcano Geography Country Canada Province British Columbia District Cassiar Land District Parent range Klappan Range Geology Rock age 5.2 to 4.7 million years old Mountain type Shield volcano Volcanic zone Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province Last eruption 4.6 million years ago

**Maitland Volcano** is a heavily eroded [shield volcano](/source/Shield_volcano) in the [Northern Interior](/source/British_Columbia_Interior) of [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia), Canada. It is 83 km (52 mi) southeast of the small community of [Telegraph Creek](/source/Telegraph_Creek) in what is now the [Klappan Range](/source/Klappan_Range) of the northern [Skeena Mountains](/source/Skeena_Mountains). This multi-vent volcano covered a remarkably large area and was topped by a younger volcanic edifice. Little remains of Maitland Volcano today, limited only to eroded lava flows and distinctive upstanding [landforms](/source/Landform) created when [magma](/source/Magma) hardened within the vents of the volcano.

The shield is associated with an extensive group of related volcanoes called the [Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province](/source/Northern_Cordilleran_Volcanic_Province) (NCVP). This forms part of the much larger [Ring of Fire](/source/Ring_of_Fire), which surrounds most of the [Pacific Ocean](/source/Pacific_Ocean) basin. Geologic studies have shown that Maitland was a comparatively short-lived volcano. It had volcanic activity for less than a million years, a time span unique from other massive NCVP shields. The volcano is known to have produced at least four types of lava, namely [alkali basalt](/source/Alkali_basalt), [hawaiite](/source/Hawaiite), [trachyte](/source/Trachyte) and [trachybasalt](/source/Trachybasalt). These have been studied by scientists since the 1950s.

## Geology

Maitland Volcano was one of the most voluminous shield volcanoes in the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province along with [Heart Peaks](/source/Heart_Peaks), [Level Mountain](/source/Level_Mountain) and the [Mount Edziza volcanic complex](/source/Mount_Edziza_volcanic_complex).[1] Its structure was about 50 km (31 mi) long and 40 km (25 mi) wide, covering an area of at least 1,000 km2 (390 mi2).[2][3] This is similar in size to the Mount Edziza complex approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of Maitland Volcano. Like most shields, Maitland consisted of several [basaltic](/source/Basalt) lava flows which have low viscosity.[3] This gave the volcano its massive profile and consequently Maitland might have had a broad [lava plateau](/source/Lava_plateau) like other large NCVP shields.[1]

Like other [Northern Cordilleran volcanoes](/source/List_of_Northern_Cordilleran_volcanoes), Maitland Volcano had its origins in [continental](/source/Continent) [rifting](/source/Rift)—a long rupture in the Earth's [crust](/source/Crust_(geology)) where the [lithosphere](/source/Lithosphere) is being pulled apart. This incipient rifting formed as a result of the [Pacific Plate](/source/Pacific_Plate) sliding northward along the [Queen Charlotte Fault](/source/Queen_Charlotte_Fault), on its way to the [Aleutian Trench](/source/Aleutian_Trench).[4] As the [continental crust](/source/Continental_crust) stretched, the near surface rocks fractured along steeply dipping cracks parallel to the rift known as [faults](/source/Fault_(geology)). Basaltic magma rose along these fractures to create [effusive eruptions](/source/Effusive_eruption).[5] The rift zone has existed for at least 14.9 million years and has created the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province. This [geologic province](/source/Geologic_province) forms part of the Ring of Fire, an area where large numbers of [earthquakes](/source/Earthquake) and volcanic eruptions occur along the Pacific Ocean.[2]

### Volcanic history

Maitland's volcanic history is poorly known since only isolated remnants of the volcano remain. What is known, however, is that it formed during a pulse of NCVP [magmatism](/source/Magmatism) that began with the eruption of Edziza about seven million years ago. The eruption rate of this period was much greater than what is observed for the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province today.[1] Following the onset of activity at Edziza, Maitland volcanism commenced 5.2 million years ago with the outpouring of alkali basalt and hawaiite lava on a broad, late [Tertiary](/source/Tertiary_period), low-relief surface. This resulted in the creation of a broad shield volcano. Subsequent volcanic activity created a complex edifice of trachyte and trachybasalt that formerly overlain the central part of the basaltic shield. Magmatism at Maitland continued until about 4.6 million years ago when the volcano went [extinct](/source/Extinct_volcano).[3]

Volcanic activity at Maitland Volcano was consistent with extensional stresses across the northern [Canadian Cordillera](/source/Canadian_Cordillera) that began around 10 million years ago as a result of new plate motions between the Pacific and North American plates. This contributed to lithospheric thinning and decompression melting of [OIB](/source/Ocean_island_basalt)-like [mantle](/source/Mantle_(geology)) to produce [alkaline](/source/Alkaline) [Neogene](/source/Neogene) magmatism.[1] The time span of 600,000 years for magmatism at Maitland Volcano is relatively small compared to other large NCVP shield volcanoes. This supports field evidence for rapid, relatively uninterrupted growth of the volcanic edifice.[3] The suspension of Maitland volcanism corresponds with changes in regional [tectonics](/source/Tectonics) about four million years ago.[1]

### Erosion and dissection

Diagram of the remains of Maitland Volcano

After Maitland Volcano became extinct, prolonged [erosion](/source/Erosion) destroyed the volcanic edifice. The reason why Maitland eroded away while its neighbour, Edziza, did not is twofold. With the cessation of volcanic activity, Maitland Volcano was unable to protect itself from erosion by providing a cover of younger lavas on top of the older shield. Another factor is that Maitland's [basement](/source/Basement_(geology)) was built entirely of soft, friable [sedimentary rocks](/source/Sedimentary_rock) of the [Bowser Lake Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bowser_Lake_Group&action=edit&redlink=1). Such rocks are more vulnerable to erosion than [igneous rocks](/source/Igneous_rock). The Bowser Lake Group sedimentary rocks are [shale](/source/Shale), [sandstone](/source/Sandstone), [conglomerate](/source/Conglomerate_(geology)) and [siltstone](/source/Siltstone), which were deposited in [marine](/source/Marine_(ocean)) and non-marine environments during the [Jurassic](/source/Jurassic) and [Cretaceous](/source/Cretaceous) periods.[3] Intervening valleys, deeply incised into the Jurassic shale and sandstone, are as much as 600 m (2,000 ft) below the base of the now deeply eroded Maitland shield volcano.[2] Most of the rugged [topography](/source/Topography) of the Klappan Range formed after Maitland Volcano was built.[3]

Erosional remnants of lava flows from Maitland Volcano are present as scattered, cliff-bounded cappings on higher [mountains](/source/Mountain) of the Klappan Range. These flat-lying lava caps are up to 400 m (1,300 ft) thick and contain as much as 20 separate lava flow units, each commonly 2 to 20 m (6.6 to 65.6 ft) thick. Aphyric to slightly [feldspar](/source/Feldspar)-[phyric](/source/Phyric) basalt is the primary [volcanic rock](/source/Volcanic_rock), although greenish-grey trachybasalt and pale green trachyte form the uppermost flows of thick sections.[3] The highest remnant of Maitland Volcano has an elevation of 2,514 m (8,248 ft).[2]

A cluster of 14 [volcanic plugs](/source/Volcanic_plug) are exposed that were originally under the central part of Maitland Volcano. These form steep-sided, isolated [monoliths](/source/Monolith) that reach heights of 150 m (490 ft) above the surrounding eroded [terrain](/source/Terrain). They are circular to elliptical in shape, ranging in diameter from 100 to 250 m (330 to 820 ft). The plugs represent the principal feeders through which the Maitland lavas reached the surface. Red oxidized [pyroclastic](/source/Pyroclastic_rock) [blocks](/source/Volcanic_block) surround some plugs protruding through the remaining lava flows. These probably formed not far below the surface where eruption was accompanied by vent-clearing explosions.[3]

## Human history

### Geological studies

The remains of Maitland Volcano were first mapped and described by the [Geological Survey of Canada](/source/Geological_Survey_of_Canada) in 1956 as part of Operation Stikine.[3] They recognized the volcanic rocks capping the Klappan Range as remnants of once-extensive lava flows but noted the remnants may differ in elevation by 305 m (1,001 ft) or more. As a result, they speculated that the remnants were not the remains of a continuous blanket of basaltic lava but fragments of individual flows poured out on a surface of considerable relief.[6] These lava flow remnants were subsequently mapped in greater detail by [Jack Souther](/source/Jack_Souther) in 1972 and later by [Hu Gabrielse](/source/Hu_Gabrielse) and Howard Tipper in 1984.[3]

### Naming

*Maitland Volcano* is the namesake for Maitland Creek, a [tributary](/source/Tributary) of the [Klappan River](/source/Klappan_River) that flows from the eroded basement of Maitland Volcano.[7][3] Maitland Creek was in turn named on May 6, 1975 for William John Maitland of [Vancouver](/source/Vancouver) who served as [flight lieutenant](/source/Flight_lieutenant) in the [Royal Canadian Air Force](/source/Royal_Canadian_Air_Force) during [World War II](/source/World_War_II). Maitland was killed in action on December 16, 1943 while serving with 208 squadron on operations over Europe; he was 22 years old.[7]

In 1990, Canadian [volcanologist](/source/Volcanologist) Jack Souther gave the informal name *Maitland volcanics* for the remaining lava flows and volcanic plugs of Maitland Volcano. Evenchick *et al.* (2005) proposed *Maitland Volcanics* as a formal name for these volcanic rocks.[3]

## See also

- [List of volcanoes in Canada](/source/List_of_volcanoes_in_Canada)

- [Volcanology of Western Canada](/source/Volcanology_of_Western_Canada)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SL_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SL_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-SL_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-SL_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-SL_1-4) Edwards, Benjamin R.; Russell, James K. (2000). "Distribution, nature, and origin of Neogene–Quaternary magmatism in the northern Cordilleran volcanic province, Canada". *[Geological Society of America Bulletin](/source/Geological_Society_of_America_Bulletin)*. **112** (8). [Geological Society of America](/source/Geological_Society_of_America): 1283, 1284, 1292, 1293. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0016-7606](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0016-7606).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-QQG_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-QQG_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-QQG_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-QQG_2-3) Wood, Charles A.; Kienle, Jürgen (1990). *Volcanoes of North America: United States and Canada*. [Cambridge](/source/Cambridge), [England](/source/England): [Cambridge University Press](/source/Cambridge_University_Press). pp. 114, 121, 126. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-43811-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-43811-X).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AD_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AD_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AD_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AD_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-AD_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-AD_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-AD_3-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-AD_3-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-AD_3-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-AD_3-9) [***k***](#cite_ref-AD_3-10) [***l***](#cite_ref-AD_3-11) Evenchick, C.A.; Thorkelson, D.J. (2005). *Geology of the Spatsizi River Map Area, North-Central British Columbia*. [Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin](/source/Geological_Survey_of_Canada_Bulletin). pp. 15, 16, 65, 137, 138, 140, 142. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-660-19338-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-660-19338-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ZUD_4-0)** ["Map of Canadian volcanoes"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080602043532/http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/volcanoes/map/index_e.php). *Volcanoes of Canada*. [Natural Resources Canada](/source/Natural_Resources_Canada). 2008-02-13. Archived from [the original](http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/volcanoes/map/index_e.php) on 2008-06-02. Retrieved 2014-12-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ZZL_5-0)** ["Diagram of the Continental Rift Zone"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121006015730/http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/naturalhazards/volcanoes/fig_4_volcanoes_continental_rift.jpg/image_view). *[The Atlas of Canada](/source/The_Atlas_of_Canada)*. [Natural Resources Canada](/source/Natural_Resources_Canada). 2007-03-23. Archived from [the original](http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/naturalhazards/volcanoes/fig_4_volcanoes_continental_rift.jpg/image_view) on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2014-12-26.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** *Stikine River area, Cassiar District, British Columbia* (Map). 1 : 253,440. Cartography by Geological Cartography Unit. [Geological Survey of Canada](/source/Geological_Survey_of_Canada). 1957.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FJ_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FJ_7-1) ["Maitland Creek"](http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/bcgnws/names/3975.html). *[BC Geographical Names Information System](/source/BC_Geographical_Names_Information_System)*. [Government of British Columbia](/source/Government_of_British_Columbia). Retrieved 2014-12-25.

## External links

- ["Maitland Volcano"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070713224606/http://www.gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/volcanoes/cat/volcano_e.php?id=svb_mvo_072). *Catalogue of Canadian volcanoes*. [Natural Resources Canada](/source/Natural_Resources_Canada). 2005-08-19. Archived from [the original](http://www.gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/volcanoes/cat/volcano_e.php?id=svb_mvo_072) on 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2015-01-03.

[57°24′N 129°42′W / 57.4°N 129.7°W / 57.4; -129.7](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Maitland_Volcano&params=57.4_N_129.7_W_type:mountain_region:CA_scale:100000)

v t e Volcanoes of the Northern Cordilleran Volcanic Province Cinder cones Cache Hill Camp Hill Cinder Cliff Cinder Mountain Cocoa Crater Coffee Crater Cone Glacier Volcano Cracker Creek Cone Eve Cone Exile Hill Fort Selkirk Vent Gabrielse Cone Icefall Cone Ibex Mountain Iskut Canyon Cone Kana Cone Keda Cone Klastline Cone Mess Lake Cone Moraine Cone Ne Ch'e Ddhawa Nahta Cone Outcast Hill Prindle Volcano Ridge Cone Ruby Mountain Second Canyon Cone Sidas Cone Sleet Cone Snippaker Creek Cone Source Hill Storm Cone Thaw Hill The Saucer The Volcano Triplex Cones Tseax Cone Twin Cone Volcanic Creek Cone Volcano Mountain Walkout Creek Cone Watson Lake Cone Williams Cone Subglacial volcanoes Ash Mountain Chakatah Creek Peak Caribou Tuya Dark Mountain Dome Mountain Enid Creek Cone Isspah Butte Kawdy Mountain King Creek Cone Klinkit Creek Peak Klinkit Lake Peak Little Bear Mountain Little Eagle Cone Mathews Tuya Meehaz Mountain Mount Josephine Nuthinaw Mountain Pillow Ridge South Tuya Tennena Cone Tadekho Hill Toozaza Peak Tom MacKay Creek Cone Tsekone Ridge Tutsingale Mountain Tuya Butte Wetalth Ridge Lava domes Cartoona Peak Glacier Dome IGC Centre Nanook Dome Pharaoh Dome Sezill Volcano Sphinx Dome The Pyramid Triangle Dome Shield volcanoes Grizzly Butte Heart Peaks Level Mountain Maitland Volcano Spectrum Range Volcano Vent West Vent Volcanic fields Atlin Bell-Irving Desolation Fort Selkirk Mess Lake Snowshoe Tuya Stratovolcanoes Armadillo Peak Hoodoo Mountain Ice Peak Mount Edziza Volcanic plugs Castle Rock The Neck The Thumb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Maitland Volcano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitland_Volcano) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitland_Volcano?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.