Kars Plateau is located in Eastern Anatolia in an area related to a continental collision zone. Volcanic activity ranged in composition from basaltic to rhyolitic. Three stages of activity are apparent: from 11 to 6 Ma mafic-intermediate lavas were produced alongside more explosive and silicic activity; the middle stage from 6 to 5 Ma was dominated by andesitic to dacitic lava effusion; and the late stage from 5 to 2.7 Ma was again characterised by bimodal volcanism comprising effusion of extensive basalt flows and more viscous domes.

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