Berca Mud Volcanoes (Vulcanii noroiosi de la Paclele Mici), Romania 2004

The Berca Mud Volcanoes are small volcano-shaped structures typically a few metres high caused by the eruption of mud and natural gases. There are not many structures like this around the world and it is the only one of this kind in Romania.

The gases erupt from 3000 metres deep towards the surface, they push up underground salty water and mud, so that they overflow through the mouths of the volcanoes, while the gas emerges as bubbles. The mud dries off at the surface, creating a conical structure resembling a volcano. The mud expelled is cold, as it comes from the Earth’s continental crust layers, and not from the mantle.