Un volcán de lodo es una forma menor del relieve formada por un cráter y un cono volcánico de poca altura pero bastante extenso debido a la escasa pendiente y cuyo origen no está relacionado con las verdaderas formaciones volcánicas salvo alguna que otra excepción, como sucede en Wyoming (Estados Unidos), sino que se deben a emanaciones de gas relacionadas con los yacimientos petroleros. Pueden verse en Venezuela, Colombia, en casi todos los países petroleros y en algunos países del sur de Europa (Italia, Rumania), en el sureste asiático y en otras partes. La mayor concentración de este tipo de volcanes se encuentra en los alrededores del mar Caspio: aproximadamente, unos 300 (entre más de 700 conocidos en todo el mundo), se encuentran en esta zona. En algunos países, como sucede en Italia, reciben el nombre de salsas o macalubas.

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Mud volcano or mud dome refers to formations created by geo-exuded mud or slurries, water and gases. There are several geological processes that may cause the formation of mud volcanoes. Mud volcanoes are not true igneous volcanoes as they produce no lava. The Earth continuously exudes a mud-like substance, which may sometimes be referred to as a "mud volcano". Mud volcanoes may range in size from merely 1 or 2 meters high and 1 or 2 meters wide, to 700 meters high and 10 kilometers wide. Smaller mud exudations are sometimes referred to as mud-pots. The largest (man made) mud volcano is "Lusi" in Java, Indonesia, which is 10 kilometres (6 mi) in diameter. The mud produced by mud volcanoes is most typically formed as hot water, which has been heated deep below the earth's surface, begins to mix and blend with subterranean mineral deposits, thus creating the mud slurry exudate. This material is then forced upwards through a geological fault or fissure due to local subterranean pressure imbalances. Mud volcanoes are associated with subduction zones and about 1100 have been identified on or near land. The temperature of any given active mud volcano generally remains fairly steady and is much lower than the typical temperatures found in igneous volcanoes. Mud volcano temperatures can range from near 100 °C (212 °F) to occasionally 2 °C (36 °F), some being used as popular "mud baths." About 86% of the gas released from these structures is methane, with much less carbon dioxide and nitrogen emitted. Ejected materials are most often a slurry of fine solids suspended in water that may contain a mixture of salts, acids and various hydrocarbons. Possible mud volcanoes have been identified on Mars.

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