Mud pot
A mud pot (technically known as solfatare) is a hot spring formed in high-temperature geothermal areas where water is in short supply, and the little water that there is rises to the surface at a spot where the soil is rich in volcanic ash, clay and other fine particulates.
The mud takes the form of a viscous, often bubbling, slurry. This mud is generally of white to greyish colour, sometimes stained with reddish or pink spots from iron compounds. As the boiling mud is often squirted over the brims of the mudpot, a sort of mini-volcano or "mudvolcano" starts to build up, sometimes to the height of 3-5 feet.
Mud pots are sometimes called paint pots, when the slurry is particularly colorful.
The geothermal areas of Yellowstone National Park contain several notable examples of mud pots.
