Even though volcanoes cause a lot of destruction, some of its effects are also beneficial to mankind. Incertain cases, it is possible to harness the underground heat generated by volcanism to human needs i.e. to meet the requirements of future. This is what is commonly referred as Geothermal Energy.

Besides, volcinic materials weather quickly in warm and moist climates to provide fertile soil. These soils are rich in plant nutrients, as for example, the Black-cotton soil of Western India.

Chemicals like sulphur, boron etc. are mostly obtained from volcanic sources and volcanoes also provide good building mate­rials.

Mention the Examples of Recent Volcanism

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(i) Mount Chilcholan an active volcano started eruption on 29th March 1982. It is situated in the South-eastern re­gion of Mexico.

(ii) Mount St. Helens, in southern Washington, started erup­tion in 1980.

(iii) Mt. Helgafell in the Westermann Islands, off the south­west coast of Iceland, erupted in 1973.

(iv) Mt. Etna, Sicily in Italy erupted in 1965.

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(v) Klyvuchevskaya-Sredinny Khrebet, in the Kamchataka peninsula of U.S.S.R. erupted in 1964.