The volcano lies in Catamarca Province of Argentina[2] 60–70 kilometres (37–43 mi) southeast of Antofagasta de la Sierra.

[5] A 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) wide horseshoe-shaped collapse scar dominates the edifice of the lava dome and has generated large debris block.

[5] Volcanic rocks erupted at Cueros de Purulla are rhyolites that define a potassium-rich calc-alkaline suite.

[13] Mineralogically, the rocks contain allanite, amphibole, apatite, biotite, clinopyroxene, epidote, feldspar, ilmenite, magnetite, muscovite, quartz, titanite and zircon.

[6] For the past five millennia,[14] the volcano has been used as a source of obsidian, which occurs at 4,380 metres (14,370 ft) in the form of blocks and nodules of various colours, and is of high quality.

[13] Based on the stratigraphic relations with volcanic rocks from Cerro Blanco, Cueros de Purulla was active during the last 73,000 years.

[19] The "El Paso ash" in the Tafí valley was emplaced between 11802 and 4289 years before present and may originate at Cueros de Purulla volcano.