埃达克质岩的构造背景与岩石组合

本文介绍了埃达克质岩形成的构造背景与岩石组合。埃达克质岩可以形成于不同的构造背景并与不同类型的岩石同时出现：1）火山弧环境中常出现埃达克质岩一高镁安山岩-富Nb玄武质岩组合,它的形成可能与板片熔融以及熔体一地幔橄榄岩的相互作用有关;2）大陆活动碰撞造山带环境（如羌塘）中埃达克质岩常与同期钾质或橄榄玄粗质岩共生,这可能与俯冲陆壳熔融和俯冲陆壳熔体交代的地幔橄榄岩熔融有关;3）造山带伸展垮塌环境（如大别山）中埃达克质岩会伴随有镁铁质一超镁铁质岩浆出露,增厚下地壳产生埃达克质岩浆后的榴辉岩质残留体拆沉进入地幔,与地幔橄榄岩的混合可能形成后期镁铁质一超镁铁质岩浆的源区;4）大陆板内伸展环境中埃达克质岩常与同期橄榄玄粗质的岩石共生,增厚、拆沉下地壳,以及富集地幔的熔融或岩浆混合在岩石的成因中发挥了重要作用。     

吉林抚松新屯子地区新生代玄武岩地球化学特征及构造背景分析

新屯子地区新生代玄武岩是中新世裂隙式火山活动产生的大陆溢流玄武岩,属于拉斑玄武岩系列,源区是软流圈上地幔。玄武岩是部分熔融和分离结晶过程联合作用的结果先由地幔橄榄岩部分熔融产生玄武质岩浆。但岩浆在上升到大陆地壳内一定深度的岩浆房时,发生部分橄榄石的分离结晶,作用在部分熔融作用之后发生橄榄石分离结晶作用,可能是大陆溢流玄武岩的一种普遍现象。     

铬铁矿床成因论

铬铁矿床成因可分为两大类：岩浆铬铁矿床和地幔变质橄榄岩残、滞留铬铁矿床。后者直接受上地幔岩熔融程度所制约。而岩浆铬铁矿床的形成除决定于上地幔岩熔融岩浆总成分外，还受岩浆分异结晶作用，岩浆就位的地质条件和规模所决定的结晶速度和状态直接影响。     

上地幔流体的性质和作用——从女山幔源二辉橄榄岩捕虏体获得的证据

玄武岩浆从地幔深处挟带上来的超镁铁质捕虏体含有地幔流体的直接证据,它们对于阐明地幔深部地质作用(部分熔融作用、地幔交代作用)的机制十分重要。女山幔源二辉橄榄岩的研究结果表明,初始的地幔流体除富含CO_2外,尚含有H_2O和少量CO、CH_4、SO_2、C1、F。地幔中的初始流体(挥发组分)在源部是溶解于地幔橄揽岩的高压固体矿物相中,它们在地幔上隆减压时出溶,形成细小的最早期流体包裹体。这些自由流体相在一定部应聚集,使得地幔固相线(和液相线)下降,引起上地幔发生减压部分熔融。初始的部分熔融主要发生于矿物边界,以单斜辉石最易遭受,形成矿物边缘的海绵状部分熔融带。当地幔剪切流动时,初始的部分熔融体珠滴联合成大的珠滴,并开始渗透,在变形橄榄岩中相连成脉状网络,晚期含C0_2岩浆包裹体及填隙玻璃即为其代表。由于剪裂作用,熔体(和流体)压裂开上覆橄榄岩,产生岩墙状通道,并在上地幔的某些低压区聚集成岩浆库。流体和熔体均为地幔交代作用的介质。在流体参与下,上地幔低度部分熔融产生的熔体将高度富集不相容元素。这些熔体和流体与亏损地幔间的相互作用,可以带来不相容元素重大的局部富集。当流体(和熔体)中H_2O浓度低时,仅发生隐交代作用;当H_2O浓度较高时,部分熔融程度也较高,相应有含水相(如角闪石等)成核,出现矿物交代作用。     

广西北海涠洲岛第四纪晚期火山碎屑流中橄榄岩包体碎块的发现及其地质意义

广西北海涠洲岛是我国面积最大的第四纪火山岩海岛,岛内出露的最新一次火山喷发产物为碧玄质岩石,它覆盖于晚更新世湖光岩组(Q3h)层状凝灰岩地层之上。在该火山岩中发现有橄榄岩包体,罕见的是,包体是以火山角砾的形式见于碧玄质火山碎屑流之中,故应是被炸碎的包体碎块,而非原始态包体。这是迄今为止较为特殊的一种橄榄岩包体产状类型,其原始态包体的岩石类型可能为方辉橄榄岩和纯橄岩。岩石结构及探针数据均表明该橄榄岩包体来自岩石圈地幔。包体的温压估算结果为960～1040℃和1.3GPa,对应的稳定深度约40km。此外,由于包体来源深度远小于其寄主碧玄质火山岩浆的来源深度(大于99km),表明涠洲岛地区第四纪火山碎屑流中的橄榄岩包体是地幔柱来源的碧玄质岩浆在上升经过岩石圈地幔约40km深度时捕获的偶然包体,并在就位前经历过炸碎。     

金川硫化铜镍矿床成矿岩浆性质和源区特征讨论

通过对造岩矿物、岩石化学和铂族元素等信息的综合分析，认为金川岩体的母岩浆属拉斑玄武质苦橄岩浆，是地幔橄榄岩经３３％部分熔融的产物；硫、钕、锶、氧等同位素资料说明岩浆源区可能在上地幔低速层底部，属富集型地幔     

苏鲁地区地壳岩浆底侵的地球物理判识

底侵作用是研究壳幔物质交换与大陆增生演化的重要机制之一，但是对岩浆底侵作用的判识是十分困难的科学问题，中国大陆科学钻探先行项目在苏鲁地区积累的地震学，地热学及地电学资料表明，在苏鲁地区发生过与大陆裂谷同期的地幔岩浆底侵作用，发生了时段主要为始新世，它的发育与沿嘉山－晌水大陆裂谷带在时空上有密切联系，这里的壳幔过渡带厚度可达3km，推测为橄榄岩与基性麻粒岩互层。结合岩石学资料可以推算出由浆底侵作用造成大陆地壳增厚的平均速度约为0.1mm/a.     

内蒙古阿巴嘎旗地区新生代玄武岩基本特征及成因

内蒙古阿巴嘎旗及其以北地区新生代玄武岩是更新世中心式火山活动产生的大陆溢流玄武岩,该区玄武岩以高碱、富钛、贫铝为特征,属于钠质碱性玄武岩系列.源区是软流圈上地幔,玄武岩是部分熔融和分离结晶两种作用的结果.地幔橄榄岩部分熔融产生玄武质岩浆,部分原始地幔岩浆未经变异沿构造通道直接喷出地表形成碧玄岩、碱性橄榄玄武岩;部分原始地幔岩浆在上升过程中因停顿,原始地幔岩浆发生橄榄石分离结晶作用,部分橄榄石从岩浆中析出,最终岩浆喷出地表形成橄榄拉斑玄武岩.研究该区新生代玄武岩基本特征,探讨岩浆起源和岩石产生的构造环境对认识该区岩石圈地幔和软流圈性质具有重要意义.     

黑龙江省尚志地区新生代钾质玄武岩研究

尚志中新世富碱的钾质系列玄武岩为白榴霞石岩、橄榄霞石岩、霞石碧玄岩和橄榄碧玄岩。岩石中似长石矿物大量出现,霞石和白榴石可以共存。稀土元素和大离子不相容元素的特征表明形成白榴霞石岩、橄榄霞石岩、霞石岩碧玄岩和橄榄碧玄岩的地幔熔融程度越来越高。主元素和微量元素的模拟计算表明,霞石岩岩浆为上地幔岩2～4％的熔融,碧玄岩为上地幔橄榄岩5～8％的部分熔融;这些岩浆形成时的温压条件为:霞石岩的T=1410～1430℃,P=22～23×10~8Pa;碧玄岩的T=1380～1430℃,P=20～23.5×10~8Pa。     

交代地幔源区与造山带铜镍成矿作用

造山带具有复杂的动力学环境、俯冲交代历史和热力学状态,其地幔源区物质组成、熔融机制和岩浆产物明显不同于地幔柱和大陆裂谷带,因此造山带环境中与镁铁-超镁铁质岩浆有关的铜镍成矿作用有别于板内环境。本文综述了交代地幔源区与造山带铜镍成矿关系的新进展,重点聚焦于：(1)岩石圈与软流圈的贡献。成矿岩浆来源于上涌的软流圈驱动交代岩石圈地幔不同程度的混合熔融,其中后俯冲阶段岩浆产物的成矿作用最为普遍、规模最大;岩石圈地幔经历不同比例俯冲板片沉积物熔体(富钙沉积物)和低温蚀变洋壳流体交代,具有显著的富挥发分和碳酸盐特征。(2)幔源岩浆氧化还原状态对成矿的约束。显生宙造山带成矿初始岩浆(硫化物未发生饱和)可能普遍为氧化性岩浆,岩浆体系硫化物饱和前后存在氧逸度骤降,导致岩浆体系硫化物饱和时硫的溶解度呈指数级下降,直接触发硫化物熔离,或者为达到熔离创造低的硫溶解度条件,其中岩浆还原作用由碳质物在岩浆期的有效混染造成。(3)挥发分对岩浆硫化物的运载汇聚。挥发分显著降低熔体粘度,从而减小粘滞阻力对岩浆超压的消耗;岩浆在上侵减压过程中挥发分能够发生出溶-成核作用,形成大量低密度气泡并与硫化物液滴形成复合液滴,促进...     

On the Relationship between Mantle Metasomatism and Partial Melting-Evidence from Mantlederived Lherzolite Xenoliths from Nueshan,China

Studies of the mantle-derived iherzolites from Nushan show that in addition to CO2,there were present H2O and small amounts of CO, CH4, SO2,Cl and F in the initial mantlc fluids derived fron the asthenospheric mantlc plumc .The imitial fluids accumulated in some regions of the mantle, resulting in lowering of the mantle solidus (and liquidus) and partial melting of the upper mantle. Melts formed from low-degree of fluid-involved partial melting of the upper mantle would be highly enriched in incompatible elements.Fluies and melts are allthe metasomatic agents for mantle metasomatism, and the interaction between them and the depleted mantle could result in the substan-tial local enrichment of LREE and incompatible elements in the latter.In case that the concentration of H2O in the fluids (and melts) is lower ,only cryptic metasomatism would occur, in case that the concentration of H2O is higher,the degree of partial melting would be higher and hydrous metasomatic phases(e.g. amphiboles )would nucleate. Under such circumstances, there would occur model metasomatism.     

安徽女山地幔橄榄岩捕虏体的同位素组成:中国东部新生代岩石圈地幔时代制约

位于安徽省境内的女山新生代碱性玄武岩中含有大量而且类型丰富的地幔橄榄岩包体,主要类型有尖晶石相、石榴石相、尖晶石-石榴子石过渡相二辉橄榄岩以及少量的方辉橄榄岩,其中部分尖晶石二辉橄榄岩样品中出现富含挥发分的角闪石、金云母和磷灰石。本文选择该区的尖晶石二辉橄榄岩和方辉橄榄岩包体进行了较为详细的岩石学、矿物学、地球化学研究工作。结果显示,除2个方辉橄榄岩表现难熔特征外,其它25件尖晶石相二辉橄榄岩均具有饱满的主量元素组成。二辉橄榄岩样品的Sr-Nd-Hf同位素均表现为亏损地幔的性质,不同于古老克拉通型难熔、富集的岩石圈地幔。富含挥发份交代矿物的出现以及轻稀土元素不同程度的富集,表明女山岩石圈地幔经历了较为强烈的交代作用,然而Re-Os同位素及PGE分析结果表明交代作用并没有显著改变Os同位素组成。二辉橄榄岩样品均具有较高的Os同位素组成,结合其饱满的主量元素组成,亏损的同位素特征,表明女山地区岩石圈地幔整体为新生岩石圈地幔。但1个方辉橄榄岩样品给出了较低的Os同位素比值0.1184,其Re亏损年龄为1.5Ga,它可能来自于软流圈中残留的古老难熔地幔。     

造山带橄榄岩起源和大陆俯冲带壳幔相互作用

俯冲地壳衍生流体交代地幔楔,是产生俯冲带岩浆作用的重要机制.但是,目前人们对俯冲大陆物质改造地幔楔的岩石学过程和机理仍缺乏深入认识,造山带橄榄岩是解析这一问题的直接样品.通过对大别-苏鲁造山带橄榄岩进行系统的矿物学、岩石学和地球化学研究,发现橄榄石Ni/Co比值可有效区分幔源和壳源造山带橄榄岩,揭示幔源造山带橄榄岩起源于华北岩石圈地幔.苏鲁李家屯纯橄岩在进入俯冲带之前就已在地幔内部经历了碳酸盐熔体交代.大别毛屋和苏鲁蒋庄橄榄岩及其交代脉体记录了约170~200 km深度的俯冲带壳幔相互作用过程.深俯冲陆壳释放的富Si-Al质熔体可不同程度地改造地幔楔底部,形成富石榴石和富辉石的交代岩,并引发强烈的Os同位素分馏效应.该过程不仅改变地幔楔岩性和化学组成,还能够改变交代介质成分,为俯冲带各类深部地幔岩浆提供源区物质.因此,大陆深俯冲是导致上地幔不均一的重要途径.      

大陆碰撞成矿作用:I.冈底斯新生代斑岩成矿系统

火山岩浆弧和大陆碰撞带是产出巨型斑岩矿床的两类重要环境.岩浆弧环境的斑岩铜矿成矿理论业已建立,而大陆碰撞环境的斑岩矿床则研究薄弱.在青藏高原,印度-亚洲大陆碰撞导致了大规模斑岩成矿作用,在主碰撞期(65～41 Ma)发育沙让式斑岩Mo矿和亚贵拉式斑岩-矽卡岩型Pb-Zn-Mo矿床,在晚碰撞期(40～26 Ma)形成明则式斑岩Mo矿和努日式斑岩-矽卡岩型Mo-W-Cu矿床,在后碰撞期(25-13Ma)产生驱龙式斑岩Cu-Mo矿床.这些矿床构成了3条规模不等的成矿带,分别发育在冈底斯的北带(中拉萨地体)、南带(泽当弧地体)和中带(南拉萨地体).冈底斯含矿斑岩系统通常为多期多相浅成侵入杂岩体.含矿斑岩以高K为特征,多为高K钙碱性岩和钾玄岩系列.含Cu斑岩以二长花岗斑岩为主,显示埃达克岩地球化学亲和性,含Mo斑岩以花岗斑岩为主,显示大陆壳成因特点.微量元素和Sr Nd Hf同位素地球化学研究表明,含Cu斑岩来自碰撞加厚的西藏镁铁质的新生下地壳(如角闪榴辉岩),早期卷入新生下地壳的幔源物质及硫化物的重熔为斑岩岩浆提供了部分金属Cu、Au和S;含Mo 岩浆来自古老的西藏镁铁质下地壳(如角闪岩)的部分熔融,金属Mo主要来自古老地壳物质的贡献.冈底斯含矿斑岩均含有不同成分的微粒镁铁质包体(MME),并显示典型的长英质与镁铁质岩浆混合特征.以MME为代表的含Cu富H2O幔源岩浆,或底侵于冈底斯地壳底部,为下地壳熔融提供了热和H2O,或注入长英质岩浆房,为斑岩系统提供了部分金属cu和S,并提升了岩浆氧逸度.冈底斯斑岩岩浆热液-成矿系统受控于斑岩就位的地壳环境.在斑岩体侵位的花岗岩基环境,其良好的封闭性导致热液流体(岩浆出溶)以斑岩岩株为核心向外扩散,形成环状蚀变分带,并主要在钾硅酸盐化带发生Cu-Mo矿化;在碎屑岩-碳酸盐建造环境,碳酸盐建造发生矽卡岩化和金属淀积,不透水的细碎屑岩层阻挡热液流体扩散,热液矿化围绕斑岩体发育,形成斑岩型Mo-矽卡岩型Pb-Zn Mo或Mo-W-Cu 成矿系统;在层火山沉积环境,良好的封闭盖层导致岩浆流体与天水强烈混合以及混合流体的长距离侧向流动,发育大面积蚀变岩盖,形成上部浅成低温热液Au Cu和下部斑岩型Cu-Mo成矿系统.结合区域构造岩浆分析,笔者认为,发育于冈底斯碰撞带3个不同碰撞期的幔源岩浆上侵-下地壳部分熔融岩浆浅成侵位-斑岩成矿系统,受控于印度-亚洲大陆三阶段碰撞的不同深部过程,据此提出了大陆碰撞过程中斑岩型矿床的地球动力学模型.     

Experimental Study of Partial Melting of Mantle Peridotite--A Discussion about the Genesis of Silica-rich Fluids (Melts)

Experiments on partial melting of mantle lherzolite have been realized at 0.6 and 1.0 GPa and the chemical compositional variations of melts during different melting stages have been first discussed. The results show that the trends of variations in SiO2, CaO, Al2O3, Na2O and TiO2 are different at different melting stages. The melts produced at lower pressure are richer in SiO2 than those at higher pressure. The mantle-derived silica-rich fluids (silicate melts) are polygenetic, but the basic and intermediate-acid silicate melts in mantle peridotite xenoliths from the same host rocks, which have equivalent contents of volatile and alkali components and different contents of other components, should result from in-situ (low-degree) partial melting of mantle peridotite under different conditions (e.g. at different depths, with introduction of C-O-H fluids or in the presence of metasomatic minerals). The intermediate-acid melts may be the result of partial melting (at lower pressure) Opx + Sp + K-Na-rich fluid±(Amphi)±(Phlog)= Ol+melt.But the intermediate-acid magmas cannot be produced from the partial melting of normal mantle peridotite unless the crustal materials are introduced to some extent.     

Evidence for an enriched mantle source for jøtunite (orthopyroxene monzodiorite) associated with the St. Urbain anorthosite, Quebec

Mafic orthopyroxene monzodiorite (jøtunite) lithologies are exposed in the St. Urbain plutonic suite as a marginal facies to quartz mangerite and massif anorthosite intrusive bodies and as dikes within a variety of host rocks. High concentrations of Ti, Fe, P, K, Ba, Nb, La, Ce, Zn, Ga, Zr and Y characterize these rocks and are distinctive of many mafic lithologies associated with anorthosite massifs worldwide. Characteristically low concentrations of Ni and Cr, in conjuction with low Mg numbers, have been used by previous investigators as evidence for either partial melting of mafic granulitic lower crust or extensive fractional crystallization of a mantle-derived magma. In an attempt to distinguish between these competing models, we note that jøtunite display many features that bear a strong resemblance to continental tholeiitic flood basalts, including chemical signatures on normalized multi-element (‘spider’) diagrams. Ratios of incompatible trace elements and patterns on rare earth and ‘spider’ diagrams collectively indicate that the jøtunite rocks were derived from an enriched, rather than depleted, mantle source. Enrichment may have occured by subduction-derived fluids or by mixture with a plume component prior to partial melting so that isotopic and trace-element compositions are decoupled. Small amounts of partial melting of mafic granulite has been advanced as an alternative model; we show, however, that the experimental data on which this model is built are not applicable. Our preferred model begins with partial melting of a trace-element enriched mantle source that fractionates olivine at high to moderate pressures. Increasing concentrations of P (and Ti) eventually caused a contraction of the olivine stability field in favor of orthopyroxene. Fractional crystallization may yield the series of rocks from anorthosite, leuconorite, oxide-apatite gabbronorite, to jøtunite. Mafic magmas emplaced into continental crust are typically attributed to incipient rifting or mantle upwelling, which are features common to many models for the genesis of anorthosite and related rocks.     

Chronological and genetic relationships between intrusive rocks of the Berdyaush pluton,South Urals,in light of new U-Pb and Sm-Nd isotopic data

Geological observations in combination with previously published and new isotopic data allowed us to reconstruct the history of geological events that eventually gave rise to the formation of the Berdyaush pluton situated on the western slope of the South Urals: (1) emplacement of gabbro into Lower Riphean sedimentary rocks (1410–1390 Ma); an enriched mantle source of gabbro arising in the Archean or Paleoproterozoic; (2) formation of granitic melt in the lower crust; Archean TTG association subsequently enriched in K and correlative elements as a result of interaction with enriched mantle-derived magmas and related fluids was a magma source; mixing of mantle and crustal magmas in the course of their synchronous ascent with formation of hybrid intrusive rocks; injections of mafic and hybrid melts into incompletely solidified granite; fragmentation of such injections with the formation of melanocratic nodules; emplacement of basic dikes into the cooled granite—all these events took place 1410–1360 Ma ago; (3) discrete episodes of partial melting of enriched mantle source with waning intensity; formation of minor volumes of melt, which solidified under auto- and paraautochthonous conditions as local domains highly enriched in incompatible elements (1360–1270 Ma); (4) partial melting of those domains resulting in the formation of minor nepheline syenite intrusions (915–800 Ma), containing relict zircon grains dated at >1270 Ma; (5) injections of mantle-derived alkaline melt contaminated with crustal granitic material as microsyenite and syenite porphyry dikes (700–500 Ma ?). Thus, the Berdyaush pluton is a projection of a local domain of mantle and crustal magma generation, which periodically resumed its activity over almost a billion years.     

The Middle Devonian Bimodal Association of Volcanic Rocks in the Northern Area of East Junggar, Xinjiang

The Middle Devonian volcanic rocks in the northern area of East Junggar, located between the Ertix andUlungur rivers of northern Xinjiang, may be divided into basic and acid ones. It is evident that a compositionalgap exists between the two groups so that the volcanic rocks are not in line with a calc-alkaline series becausethe intermediate rocks are absent in the area. The fact shows that the volcanic rocks are a typical bimodal asso-ciation. The formation of the bimodal association of volcanic rocks in the area was closely related to continen-tal rifting or continental extension in the Middle Devonian. In such a tectonic setting, magmas were first pro-duced by partial melting of the mantle. Where crustal thinning was greater, the magmas ascended and eruptedon the surface directly so that the basic volcanic rocks formed, but olivine and/or partial pyroxenefractionation occurred in the magmas during their ascent through the thinning crust. On the other hand, wherecrustal thinning was less, ascending mantle-derived magmas reached the lower crust and accumulated there, re-sulting in partial melting of the lower crust and thus giving rise to the contaminated magma which was consoli-dated as acid volcanic rocks on the surface.     

Magmatic systems of large continental igneous provinces

Large igneous provinces (LIPs) formed by mantle superplume events have irreversibly changed their composition in the geological evolution of the Earth from high-Mg melts (during Archean and early Paleoproterozoic) to Phanerozoic-type geochemically enriched Fe-Ti basalts and picrites at 2.3 Ga. We propose that this upheaval could be related to the change in the source and nature of the mantle superplumes of different generations. The first generation plumes were derived from the depleted mantle, whereas the second generation (thermochemical) originated from the core-mantle boundary (CMB). This study mainly focuses on the second (Phanerozoic) type of LIPs, as exemplified by the mid-Paleoproterozoic Jatulian–Ludicovian LIP in the Fennoscandian Shield, the Permian–Triassic Siberian LIP, and the late Cenozoic flood basalts of Syria. The latter LIP contains mantle xenoliths represented by green and black series. These xenoliths are fragments of cooled upper margins of the mantle plume heads, above zones of adiabatic melting, and provide information about composition of the plume material and processes in the plume head. Based on the previous studies on the composition of the mantle xenoliths in within-plate basalts around the world, it is inferred that the heads of the mantle (thermochemical) plumes are made up of moderately depleted spinel peridotites (mainly lherzolites) and geochemically-enriched intergranular fluid/melt. Further, it is presumed that the plume heads intrude the mafic lower crust and reach up to the bottom of the upper crust at depths ～20 km. The generation of two major types of mantle-derived magmas (alkali and tholeiitic basalts) was previously attributed to the processes related to different PT-parameters in the adiabatic melting zone whereas this study relates to the fluid regime in the plume heads. It is also suggested that a newly-formed melt can occur on different sides of a critical plane of silica undersaturation and can acquire either alkalic or tholeiitic composition depending on the concentration and composition of the fluids. The presence of melt-pockets in the peridotite matrix indicates fluid migration to the rocks of cooled upper margin of the plume head from the lower portion. This process causes secondary melting in this zone and the generation of melts of the black series and differentiated trachytic magmas.     

Plagioclase lherzolite-residual mantle relationships within two eastern mediterranean ophiolites

The ophiolites of Othris, northern Greece, and Troodos, Cyprus, are of mixed lherzolite-harzburgite and harzburgite sub-type respectively. Within both ophiolites an entire spectrum of harzburgite, plagioclase harzburgite, lherzolite and plagioclase lherzolite interpreted respectively as residual and highly, moderately and slightly modified upper mantle has been recognised. Plagioclase lherzolite frequently contains gabbroic segregations generated by partial melting and incomplete extraction. Othris shows the full range of mantle peridotites while Troodos is dominated by harzburgite with very minor occurrences of plagioclase harzburgite and lherzolite. Chemically, the plagioclase lherzolites have low contents of the basaltophillic minor elements, and a composition slightly more residual than postulated upper mantle compositions, suggestive of a preceding phase of minor depletion. The Othris and Troodos ophiolites seem to have formed under fundamentally different environments — Othris as a marginal ophiolite at the inception on rifting of continental crust, and Troodos later in such an event when spreading was well established.