Scientists are working to figure out whether a newly located volcano south of Auckland is dead or alive.

Physical volcanic materials have been found under a group of properties in Karaka, after scanning and mapping identified the volcanic cone last November.

Waikato University volcanology lecturer Dr Adrian Pittari says it had become buried under younger earth materials.

"We must know more about the volcano from a natural history point of view, and hopefully if we can find the right materials, we'll find the actual age of the volcano."

He says the next steps are to determine how old it is and what volcanic field it's linked to.

"We have two volcanic areas; the Auckland Volcanic Field, and the South Auckland Volcanic Field, which covers Pukekohe and South."

Pittari says the South Auckland field is inactive, compared to the Auckland field, but this new volcano is located between the two.