Presenter :

Omer M. Ahmed
University of Kerala, India,
2015.
 The name ophiolite derived from Greek root which

means

 Ophio : snake or serpent Litho : Stone

 The green colour, structure and texture of sheared

ultramafic rocks is similar to some serpents

 Ophiolite

 The term ophiolite was initially given to dark

green shiny outcrops which composed of
serpentines (serpentinite rocks)
 later on become used not only to a single
rock , but also to an association of related
rock types which are found as a consistent
of upper mantle rocks and oceanic crust.
 Ophiolite Sequence
 Sediments
 Pillow Lavas
 sheeted Dykes
 Gabbros
 Layered Gabbro
 Layered Peridotite
 Upper mantle Robin Gil
2010
 Ophiolite
 The above sequences has been emplaced on
subduction zone.
 and subsequently pushed up on to continents by
thrusting a long narrow belts or it can extend more
than 1000 km .
 Depends on thrust angle either moving al members
(Allochthonous or intact ophiolite ) or missing some other
members (autochthonous ophiolite).
 Metamorphic Peridotite
 These metamorphic rocks represent upper
mantle.
 They shows sharp contact with cumulates.
 With variable size in some outcrops over
thousands of square kilometers.
 The ranges from lherzolite (CPX, OPX, Olivine and MG spinel)
to harzburgite (OPX and olivine) and dunite (olivine).
 These components of ophiolite are generally
the most prominent because they record
mantle history of subduction zone.
 Mélange
 Many ophiolites occurring within the folded
mountain belts have repeated deformation and
metamorphism which transforms the layered
fragments into tectonic mixture or Mélange.
 It can be interpreted as a remnant of an ancient
subduction zone during emplacement of ophiolite.
 Transitional zone between the oceanic crust and
mantle.
 Cumulates

o They are represent oceanic crust and usually occurred

as deformed, sheared, and highly serpentinized.
o Consist of Peridotites (olivine , CPX ± plagioclase), pyroxenites
and layered gabbros.
o The layering is maybe result of crystal settling (by
density) during the crystallization, which allowed
accumulation or a segregation process related to the
chemical stability of minerals.
o The cumulate complexes are made of four minerals
OPX, CPX, Olivine, and plagioclase (dominant in
layered), with important amounts of chromite.
http://geo.sc.niigata-u.ac.jp/~miyashit/Oman/CD ROM/Sudum/Sudum_layering.html
 plagiogranites

 The occurrence of leucocratic rocks in ophiolites

known as plagiogranites.
 It is late-stage of magmatic products in
formation of the main ophiolitic crust.
 These plagiogranites consist mainly of quartz
and plagioclase with only minor amounts of
ferromagnesian minerals.
 Sheeted Dykes
 They occur as minor dykes
 Within the upper part of some ophiolite sequences with variable
thickness.
 They formed by continuous injection of basaltic liquid along the
extension zones it could be mid oceanic ridge, marginal basin, or
small restricted ocean basin like Red Sea.
 The chemistry of the dykes indicates derivation from a differentiating
mafic magma.
 Minerals are plagioclase (zoned), CPX, magnetite or ilmenite and
accessory hornblende, these minerals show fine to medium grains
with ophitic texture.
http://www.esc.cam.ac.uk/research/research-groups/terrestrial-
geochemistry/ocean-ridge-hydrothermal-fluxes
 The volcanic sequences

o Include pillow lavas, massive lavas and pillow

breccia.
o generally dismembered by several thrust faults,
shear zones and overturned folds.
o Pillow lavas provide direct evidence that they
developed in the water.
o There are some intrusive rocks associated with
pillows: sills, dykes and sometime irregular masses.
 Pillow lava

o Pillow lavas show chilled margins and glassy material.

o The most common crystallites in the chilled margin
are Plagioclase (sometime zoned), CPX and phenocrysts
of olivine.
o It shows sub-ophitic texture away from the chilled
margins.
o Pillow lavas have normative hypersthene and quartz.
o pillow lava and sheeted dykes are characteristic of
ophiolite
http://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/12/the-pillow-lavas-of-oman-ophiolite.html
 Sediment

 The deep oceanic sediments deposited on oceanic

crust have provided us information about materials
resting directly on the oceanic crust and
interlayered with the pillow lavas.

 Cherts, greywackes and shales are the most

common types of these sediments.

 They contain organic remnants like radiolaria, that

clearly demonstrate their deep ocean origin.
Relation between lava and sediments (Robert G. Coleman 1977).
1- pillow lava. 3- fragment of pillow lava.
2- sand. 4- radiolarian chert 5- sediment.
 Geochemistry
 The ophiolite consist of variable rocks types:
mafic, ultramafic, acidic, metamorphic and
fossiliferous sediments.
 These association show a wide range of
chemical composition.
 Rajesh K. Srivastava has done a geochemistry
analysis for three samples in Naga Hills
ophiolite.
 Bulk compositions of basalt and felsic rocks
(Granitoids and Plagiogranite) for major oxides
and trace elements.
Major oxides (Rajesh K. Srivastava (2011))

basalt Plagiogranite
Granitoid
Trace elements
Occurrences of Ophiolites in the world

Ophiolites are recognized in many areas around the world.

 Oman (semail)

 Sudan (Nubba mountains)

 Cyprus (Troodos island)

 Albania (Mirdita )

 Northern California
 Occurrences of ophiolite in India

 Naga Hills in North east India

 An important feature at Naga Hills is the

occurrence of late-granitoids.
 presence of two feldspars plagioclase and
potash feldspar, and amphibole.
 Mineralization base-metal and sulfide.
 Economic value

 Massive Sulphide
It founded within pillow lava most of massive Sulphide
associated in Ophiolites have well developed Gossans
(bright colored iron oxide, hydroxides, and sulfides) which
is very rich in gold.
 Chromite
Stratiform (be tabular or pencil shape) or podiform
(irregular shape) within ultra-mafic rocks.
Other deposits are developed on serpentinite peridotite
 Laterites (nickel and iron)
 Asbestos
 Talc
 Magenesite
 Conclusion
Ophiolites are association of mafic and ultra
mafic rocks within mantle and oceanic crust.
With relation between Metamorphic, Igneous and
Sedimentary rocks.
Involved several tectonic process
Ophiolites are key to detecting old subduction
zones, gives clues of earth history.
Minerals wealth.
 References

 Coleman R G (1977), Ophiolite, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New

York, 229 P.
 DILEK,Y and ROBINSON, R T (2003) , ophiolites in Earth History,
Published by the Geological Society London, 700P.
 Gill, R (2010), Igneous Rocks and Processes A Practical Guide, John
Wiley & Sons Ltd, 428 P.
 Gupta A K.Alok (1998) ,Igneous rocks, Allied Publishers Limited 690 P.
 Srivastava R K (2011), Dyke Swarms: Keys for Geodynamic
Interpretation, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 605 P.