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Balbi Volcano | John Seach
Bougainville Island, North Solomons Province,
Papua New Guinea
5.83 S, 154.98 E
summit elevation 2715 m
stratovolcano
Balbi is the highest point on Bougainville Island, and the northern most of the volcanoes. The volcano is covered with trees up to 1300 m elevation. From 1300 m to 2300 m bamboo is the dominant vegetation. Moss is the dominant vegetation above 2300 m.
The summit of Balbi contains a solfatara field and several ash cones, craters and domes. Three large amphitheatre-headed valleys have been formed on
the flanks of the volcano. The largest of these valleys is located on the northern
flank; it is 7 km long, 3 km wide, and 610 m deep. The other amphitheatre-headed valleys occur on the southern and the north-eastern flanks of the volcano.
2008 Eruption
Rabaul volcano observatory reported an eruption of Balbi volcano on 7th May 2008. There was no ash visible on satellite images.
The last major eruption from Balbi volcano occurred between 1800 and 1850, and caused fatalities. Nuees ardentes were emitted during this eruption, probably from crater B.
Further reading
Branch, C.D., 1967. Mount Balbi volcano complex, Bougainville, TPNG. Bur. Miner. Resour. Aust. Rep, 107, pp.1-9.
Balbi Volcano Eruptions
2008. Eruption on 7th May.
1995. Profuse steaming from the summit amphitheater.
1989. Summit fumarole field remains active.
1984. Boiling mud, active fumaroles and solfataras.
1825 ± 25 years. Eruption from crater B with fatalities.