Tectono-stratigraphy and evolution of the Mesozoic Pindos ophiolite and related units, northwestern Greece

Abstract

The northwest Pindos Mountains expose Mesozoic and Tertiary thrust sheets, which include the Jurassic Pindos ophiolite, composed of ultramafic and mafic oceanic crustal rocks. The tectono-stratigraphy of these units is: (i) mainly ultramafic ophiolitic thrust sheet and basal metamorphic sole (Dramala Complex and Loumnitsa Unit); (ii) Late Cretaceous platformal limestones (Orliakas Group); (iii) dismembered intrusive and extrusive ophiolitic rocks (Aspropotamos Complex): (iv) tectonic melange and olistostromes, dominated by Triassic-Jurassic volcanic and sedimtntary rocks (Avdella Melange); (v) coherent thrust sheets of Late Jurassic–Late Cretaceous deep-water sediments (Dio Dendra Group); (vi) Early Tertiary flysch (Pindos Flysch). Immobile trace-element studies indicate that Triassic and Jurassic extrusives of the volcanic-sedimentary melange formed mainly at within plate and/or mid-ocean ridge settings. By contrast, structurally overlying ophiolitic extrusives include boninitic volcanics and island arc tholeiites, of supra-subduction zone origin. Initial ophiolite displacement ( c . 165 Ma) is recorded in metamorphic sole formation, including basal peridotite mylonite, amphibolites and greenschists. The sole rocks have MORB and WPB chemical affinities. In our favoured model, the Pindos ophiolite formed above a Mid-Jurassic westerly-dipping intra-oceanic subduction zone, accompanied by accretion to form melange, followed by collision and emplacement with the Pelagonian margin. Final suturing of the Pindos ocean, however did not take place until Early Tertiary times.