San Pablo was active in pre-glacial times. After that period, glaciations formed a girdle of moraines and the mountain was covered by ash fall from neighbouring San Pedro.[7] Its central crater was eroded and a glacier formed inside. The volcano itself is formed by three groups of andesite lavas which variously contain pyroxene or hornblende; these groups are known as the Lower Group, the Middle Group and the Summit Group.[8]
^Francis, P. W.; Roobol, M. J.; Walker, G. P. L.; Cobbold, P. R.; Coward, M. (1974-01-01). "The San Pedro and San Pablo volcanoes of northern Chile and their hot avalanche deposits". Geologische Rundschau. 63 (1): 357–388. Bibcode:1974GeoRu..63..357F. doi:10.1007/BF01820994. ISSN0016-7835. S2CID128960834.
^"IGM Chile". IGM Chile. 14 April 2020. Archived from the original on 16 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.