No latest activity reported for Billy Mitchell.

Below is a summary of eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI).

The following references are the sources used for data regarding this volcano. References are linked directly to our volcano data file. Discussion of another volcano or eruption (sometimes far from the one that is the subject of the manuscript) may produce a citation that is not at all apparent from the title. Additional discussion of data sources can be found under Volcano Data Criteria.

Blake D H, Miezitis Y, 1967. Geology of Bougainville and Buka Islands, New Guinea. {Aust Bur Min Resour Geol Geophys Bull}, 93: 1-56

Johnson R W, 1992. . (pers. comm.)

McKee C O, Johnson R W, Rogerson R, 1990. Explosive volcanism on Bougainville Island: ignimbrites, calderas, and volcanic hazards. {Proc Pacific Rim Cong 1990}, 2: 237-245

McKee C O, Patia H, Johnson R W, 1988. Contrasting eruptive styles at the adjacent volcanoes Bagana and Billy Mitchell on Bouganville Island, Papua New Guinea. {Proc Kagoshima Internatl Conf Volc}, p 131-134

Rogerson R J, Hilyard D B, Finlayson E J, Johnson R W, Mckee C O, 1989. The geology and mineral resources of Bougainville and Buka Islands, Papua New Guinea. {Geol Surv Papua New Guinea Mem}, no 16

Billy Mitchell, a small pyroclastic shield immediately NE of Bagana volcano, has produced some of the largest Holocene eruptions of Papua New Guinea. Andesitic-to-dacitic Billy Mitchell volcano is truncated by a 2-km-wide caldera containing a shallow lake with a small island near its southern shore. Two major explosive eruptions, one about 900 years ago and the other about 370 years ago, produced dacitic pyroclastic-fall deposits that cover most of the northern half of Bougainville Island. The younger eruption may have been responsible for formation of the nearly vertical, steep-walled summit caldera. Pyroclastic-flow and -surge deposits from Billy Mitchell extend 25 km to the eastern coast of Bougainville Island.