Fuerteventura Guide. Fuerteventura Geology. Formation of the island of Fuerteventura. Geological History.

In the formation of the island of Fuerteventura can distinguish three distinct stages, each of which generates a kind of different stone materials.

Some 70 million years ago, the Atlantic was in full expansion phase (Plate Tectonics), so that the African Continent and European separated the Americas (about 2 inches a year), and formed the Atlantic Ocean.
In this scenario, and because the African Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate, the seabed where it currently Canary fractured, generating the output of molten rock, which on contact with water rapidly solidified. Would be "volcanoes" that were piling up millions of cubic meters of volcanic rocks (lavas pilow mostly), which grew this large structure to the surface.
In addition, magma chambers (where magma accumulates will surface as magma), when cooled slowly, giving rise to the plutonic rocks, which will form an important part of the Basal Complex (gabbro, syenite, carbonatite .)
Plutonic and volcanic rocks are also mixed with marine sediments (sand and mud) that came from Africa, so that the Basal Complex is composed of different types of rocks that we explain the origin of the island of Fuerteventura

Subaerial Volcanism. Massive volcanism with large releases of material.

The stage of the birth of Fuerteventura with volcanism low sea level occurred during 50 million years, and at one point (17 million years ago), that this volcano submarine surfaced and showed what would be the island Fuerteventura.
In this second phase of volcanism is on the surface, and over millions of years accumulate large amounts of volcanic material (shield volcanoes), the thickness could reach 4,000 meters.
The arrival of these millions of cubic meters of lava to the surface through a network of multiple dykes, crossing the Basal Complex, which have been recorded in the complex. These dams can bequeath to have a width of two meters

Thus began the formation of the island of Fuerteventura,
the three small volcanic islands emerge

There were three large stratovolcanoes on the island, resting on the older rocks of the Basal Complex: Main Building first, then building Jandia on the south, and finally the North Building.
The volcanoes of the Central Building Jandia be as high as Mount Teide in Tenerife, but due to problems of instability or major earthquakes, 15 million years ago, the Central Building suffered a major collapse, causing a landslide around the volcano to west, accumulating this material in the seabed.
Because of this cataclysm, the Basal Complex rocks were exposed, being possible to study and visit in the area and Ajuy Betancuria.
The preserved remains of these ancient buildings are rare, since for 15 million years the atmosphere has acted to erode the materials, was alone called "knives" that are sharp peaked mountains (Vigán knives, for example, on the east coast Fuerteventura).

Following the previous period is a period of relative calm that lasts 7 million years, and 5 million years ago resumed volcanic activity with small shield volcanoes first, then buildings volcanic cinder and ash.
Examples of this volcanism are Gairía Volcano, with Tiscamanita, or Malpais Grande and Chico, between Tuineje and Black Pit, or the Arena Volcano in the north of the island, near the village of Lajares.

The most striking feature of the surface topography Fuerteventura is its smoothness. Although several million years ago, there were large volcanoes like Mount Teide, the continuing effect of erosion (and great cataclysms point), have softened the surface of the island.
The highest altitude of Fuerteventura is the Pico de la Zarza (807 meters), also called by the Majoreros "Donkey Ears" and are the remains of a large shield volcano that was formed in Jandia Peninsula, south of the island .
Next in a summit altitude Betancuria Massif in the center of the island, which are remnants of the Basal Complex

We can establish a similarity between what was the topography in Fuerteventura in antiquity with the rest of the Canary Islands today:

	15 million years ago. Fuerteventura could resemble what is now the island of La Palma, with recent gullies, deep, but little developed because erosion has not played long enough to widen their margins. V-shaped profile Similar to the island of La Palma today
	8 million years ago. The gullies are more in-depth and have been widened to a level "intermediate." Can you remember what today is now La Gomera. V-shaped profile Similar to the island of La Gomera today
	2 million years ago. The gullies are more developed, less deep and very wide, with U-shaped profile This compares with the present topography of the island of Gran Canaria. Similar to the Island of Gran Canaria today
	Less than 100,000 years ago Small volcanic edifices (cones), just 200 meters high and very young age, accompanied Ah-Ah casting, forming the so-called Malpais. Similar to the volcanoes of the Timanfaya National Park in Lanzarote
	Present. Fuerteventura has soft and shallow valleys. General topography very smooth, only with specific geographical features (knives, Betancuria Massif Mountains of Jandia).