Petrogenesis of Ultramafic Rocks from the Ultrahigh-pressure Metamorphic Kimi Complex in Eastern Rhodope (NE Greece)

Widespread bodies of garnet–spinel metaperidotites withpyroxenitic layers occur in the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphicKimi Complex. In this study we address the origin of such peridotite–pyroxeniteassociations in the context of polybaric melting regimes. Weconduct a detailed geochemical investigation of major and traceelement relations and compare them with a range of major elementmodelling scenarios. With increasing bulk-rock MgO content,the garnet–spinel metaperidotites exhibit decreasing CaO,Al₂O₃, TiO₂, and Na₂O along with increasing Ni and a graduallyincreasing Zr/Zr* anomaly, consistent with an origin as residuesafter variable degrees of melt extraction. The major elementmodelling further suggests a polybaric adiabatic decompressionmelting regime beginning at high to ultrahigh pressure, withan intermediate character between pure batch and fractionalmelting and a mean extent of melting of 9–11%. The pyroxenitesexhibit major element compositions that cannot be reproducedby experimental or calculated melts of peridotite. Moreover,the Kimi pyroxenites have highly variable Ni and Sc contentsand a wide range of Mg-number (0· 76–0·89), inconsistent with an origin as frozen melts or the productsof melt–peridotite interaction. However, both the majorelement systematics and the observed rare earth element patterns,with both convex and concave shapes, can be explained by anorigin as clinopyroxene-rich, high-pressure cumulates involvinggarnet and/or Cr-spinel. KEY WORDS: peridotite; pyroxenite; partial melting; UHP metamorphism; cumulate