Volcanic eruptions cause landslides and earthquakes, spew out large amounts of gases, ash, rocks, and magma... forming debris flows, mudflows, and lava flows. The power of their eruptions and explosions can sometimes far exceed that of nuclear explosions. Volcanoes bring disasters to nature and human society in all aspects, from the ground to the sky, directly damaging lives and property and having a profound impact on the climate and environment. Major environmental problems and natural disasters in the world today, such as the greenhouse effect, ozone layer destruction, acid rain, and even the El Niño event, are all related to volcanic eruptions. Since 1980, global active volcanoes have claimed the lives of 29,000 people, displaced more than one million people, and caused economic losses of billions of dollars. China lacks modern active volcanoes, so this disaster is not particularly prominent in the country, but potential dangers still exist. Moreover, some volcanic disasters are not limited by national borders and geographical regions. The Pacific Ring of Fire concentrates most of the world's volcanoes, and eastern China is surrounded by this volcanic chain. Volcanic eruptions on this chain, as well as those elsewhere, can affect China.
Volcanic eruptions bring many mineral resources However, while volcanoes bring disasters to humans, they also create abundant wealth. Many mineral resources are related to volcanic activity, including metals such as gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, as well as non-metallic minerals such as sulfur and diatomite. Precious stones that people love, such as diamonds and some gemstones like sapphires, rubies, garnets, olivines, zircons, spinels, jasper, agates, and obsidians, are also products of volcanic activity. Volcanic ash, volcanic debris, and volcanic rocks can be used as excellent building materials. Basalt fibers and composites have become green high-tech materials in the 21st century.
Hot springs and mineral springs often accompany volcanoes. There are more than a dozen hot springs in the volcanic area of Changbai Mountain, with water temperatures up to 86°C. The hot springs in Tengchong, Yunnan have become a sea of hot water. In Alshan, Inner Mongolia, there are both hot springs and cold springs, with hot spring water temperatures exceeding 30°C and cold springs constantly at 4-8°C. The mineral water in Yaoquan Mountain, Wudalianchi has high concentrations of carbonic acid, iron, zinc, strontium, lithium, and germanium, and has high value for drinking and medical use. The local soil can also be used for mud therapy, so many sanatoriums have been built there in recent years. The once desolate Great Northern Wilderness has now risen to become a modern city - Wudalianchi City, which is probably the only city built on the basis of volcanic resources.
More strikingly, volcanoes are sculptors of nature, shaping diverse natural landscapes and ecological environments after eruptions. Many famous scenic spots on Earth are volcanic areas, such as Mount Fuji in Japan, Hawaii and Yellowstone Park in the United States, Vesuvius in Italy, the Central Plateau in France, Kilimanjaro in Africa... all of which are colorful and beautiful. In China, many volcanic areas have become national geoparks and world geoparks, including the famous Wudalianchi, as well as Jingpo Lake in Heilongjiang, Shandong's Shangwang, Zhangzhou in Fujian, Huguangyan in Guangdong, Shishan in Hainan, and Tengchong in Yunnan. The most fascinating one is Changbai Mountain, which has long been listed as a UN Man and the Biosphere Natural Reserve and a World Natural Heritage. There are majestic mountains, mysterious Tianchi Lake, magnificent waterfalls, boiling hot springs, and snow-capped mountains on the mountain and lush pine and rice fields at the foot of the mountain. At an altitude of about 1,000 meters, from summer to winter, from broadleaf forests to tundra, different seasons and plant zones are displayed, forming a beautiful picture.