[9] Aside from volcanic activity, crustal shortening has resulted in a thickened crust since about 35 million years ago.

An andesitic lahar and pyroclastic flow crops out south and east of Apacheta,[12] which as the oldest part of the edifice is heavily eroded.

[3] Moraines are encountered both west-southwest of Apacheta and east of the Chac-Inca dome,[12] and traces of glacial erosion are observed on the Aguilucho crater region.

[16] They are located within a wider c. 0.03 square kilometres (0.012 sq mi) area that features diffuse degassing, gryphons,[20] mud pools and vents.

The deposit is increasingly dominated by hydrothermally altered material farther east, while the hummocks consist of lava blocks.

[33] In the case of Apacheta-Aguilucho, it is likely that the sector collapse was triggered by hydrothermal alteration of the edifice that weakened its structure until it failed, and its path was likely influenced by regional tectonics.

[34] After the edifice had failed, the landslide moved eastward until it was deflected by older topography; the material became increasingly fragmented.

This subduction process is responsible for volcanism in the Central Andes, which occurs at distances of 250–300 kilometres (160–190 mi) from the trench.

[39] Northwest of Apacheta-Aguilucho, the axis of the graben is buried beneath other volcanoes starting with Cerro del Azufre[40] which form a northwest–southeast alignment[22] known as Inacaliri lineament.

It consists of various volcanic and sedimentary formations[40][1] including eroded volcanoes,[4] and it is in part covered by 7.5 million years old ignimbrites.

[13] These rocks define a potassium-rich calc-alkaline suite which contains amphibole, biotite, clinopyroxene, iron-titanium oxides, orthopyroxene, olivine, plagioclase, quartz, sanidine and titanite.

At the fumarole field, minerals like chlorite, gypsum, halloysite, hematite, mica and quartz formed through supergene and acid leaching processes.

[19] The magmas appear to derive from the Altiplano-Puna magmatic complex volcanic body and underwent fractional crystallization and other geochemical processes before erupting.

[41] A local subsidence of the ground began in 2017 and ended in 2020 appears to be related to the beginning geothermal power extraction.

[3] Another joint enterprise this time including the Italian ENEL performed further research in the area between 2006 and 2007, and obtained a permit to exploit the system in 2009.

[47] The plant on Pampa Apacheta[37] 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) east of Apacheta-Aguilucho[5] was inaugurated by the Chilean president Michelle Bachelet on 12 September 2017, becoming the first[a] geothermal power station in South America,[49] and drew substantial media attention.

[54] The Cerro Pabellón project is expected to produce 340 Gigawatt-hours per year, enough to cover the electricity consumption of 165,000 families.

[55] The plant is expected to reduce Chile's carbon dioxide emissions by about 166,000,000 kilograms per year (166,000 t/a)[2] and is owned by the companies Geotérmica del Norte S.A.(GDN) and Empresa Nacional de Geotermia; the latter is a joint venture between ENAP and ENEL.