Cited by 434Geological and Geochemical AnalysisGeochemistry and Elemental AnalysisGeological and Geophysical Studies

A new method of discriminating different types of post-Archean ophiolitic basalts and their tectonic significance using Th–Nb and Ce–Dy–Yb systematics

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Saccani, Emilio·2015·Geoscience Frontiers

Abstract

In this paper, a new discrimination diagram using absolute measures of Th and Nb is applied to post-Archean ophiolites to best discriminate a large number of different ophiolitic basalts. This diagram was obtained using >2000 known ophiolitic basalts and was tested using ∼560 modern rocks from known tectonic settings. Ten different basaltic varieties from worldwide ophiolitic complexes have been examined. They include two basaltic types that have never been considered before, which are: (1) medium-Ti basalts (MTB) generated at nascent forearc settings; (2) a type of mid-ocean ridge basalts showing garnet signature (G-MORB) that characterizes Alpine-type (i.e., non volcanic) rifted margins and ocean-continent transition zones (OCTZ). In the Th-Nb diagram, basalts generated in oceanic subduction-unrelated settings, rifted margins, and OCTZ can be distinguished from subduction-related basalts with a misclassification rate <1%. This diagram highlights the chemical variation of oceanic, rifted margin, and OCTZ basalts from depleted compositions to progressively more enriched compositions reflecting, in turn, the variance of source composition and degree of melting within the MORB-OIB array. It also highlights the chemical contributions of enriched (OIB-type) components to mantle sources. Enrichment of Th relative to Nb is particularly effective for highlighting crustal input via subduction or crustal contamination. Basalts formed at continental margin arcs and island arc with a complex polygenetic crust can be distinguished from those generated in intra-oceanic arcs in supra-subduction zones (SSZ) with a misclassification rate <1%. Within the SSZ group, two sub-settings can be recognized with a misclassification rate <0.5%. They are: (1) SSZ influenced by chemical contribution from subduction-derived components (forearc and intra-arc sub-settings) characterized by island arc tholeiitic (IAT) and boninitic basalts; (2) SSZ with no contribution from subduction-derived components (nascent forearc sub-settings) characterized by MTBs and depleted-MORBs. Two additional discrimination diagrams are proposed: (1) a Dy-Yb diagram is used for discriminating boninite and IAT basalts; (2) a Ce/Yb-Dy/Yb diagram is used for discriminating G-MORBs and normal MORBs. The proposed method may effectively assist in recovering the tectonic affinity of ancient ophiolites, which is fundamental for establishing the geodynamic evolution of ancient oceanic and continental domains, as well as orogenic belts.

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  • In a Th_N versus Nb_N diagram, basaltic rocks from greenstone belts in the Dharwar Craton and those between the south microblocks dominantly show P-MORB, E-MORB and N-MORB characteristics, suggesting formation within an enriched suprasubduction zone.

    “In a Th N versus Nb N diagram (Fig. 13), basaltic rocks from greenstone belts in the Dharwar Craton and those between the south microblocks dominantly show P-MORB, E-MORB and N-MORB characteristics, suggesting formation within an enriched suprasubduction zone”

    From Secular change and the onset of plate tectonics on Earth (2020) · cites this paper as Saccani, 2015

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  1. Anonymous, 1972. Penrose field conference on Ophiolites. Geotimes 17, 24e25.
  2. Doucet, S., Weis, D., Scoates, J.S., Debaille, V., Giret, A., 2004. Geochemical and HfePbeSreNd isotopic constraints on the origin of the Amsterdam-St. Paul (Indian Ocean) hotspot basalts. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 218, 179e195.
  3. Feeley, T., Davidson, J., 1994. Petrology of calc-alkaline lavas at Volcan-Oollague and the origin of compositional diversità at central Andean stratovolcanoes. Journal of Petrology 35, 1295e1340.
  4. Pearson, K., 1897. On a form of spurious correlation which may arise when indices are used in the measurement of organs. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London 60, 489e502.

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Authors
Saccani, E.
Affiliations
University of Ferrara (IT)
Corresponding author
Saccani, Emilio
Venue
Geoscience Frontiers
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-07
Volume
6
Issue
4
Pages
481-501
ISSN
1674-9871 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2010741958
Cited by
434
References
221
Citations by year
2026: 40 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 45 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 46 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 6
FWCI
10.08
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Geoscience Frontiers (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Institutional Research Information System University of Ferrara (University of Ferrara) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
Macquarie University
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geophysics › Geological and Geochemical Analysis
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geochemistry and Petrology › Geochemistry and Elemental Analysis
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geology › Geological and Geophysical Studies
Keywords
basalt geochemistry, tectonic setting discrimination, continent-ocean transition zone, passive continental margin, supra-subduction zone, boninite, island arc tholeiite, crustal contamination, mantle source enrichment

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