Mineral chemistry and P–T conditions of the winchite-bearing metabasic rocks in the NE edge of the Menderes Massif (Western Türkiye)

• Published in: Chemie der Erde p. 126126
• Main Authors: Özbey, Zeynep, Aysal, Namık, Caran, Şemsettin, Tükel, Fatma Şişman, Yagcioglu, Kıymet Deniz, Yesiltas, Mehmet, Yılmaz, İsak
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01-04-2024
• Subjects: Blueschist facies; Menderes Massif; Mineral chemistry; Sodic-calcic amphibole; Winchite; Menderes Massif; Winchite; Mineral chemistry; Sodic-calcic amphibole; Blueschist facies
• ISSN: 0009-2819; 1611-5864
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemer.2024.126126

The Menderes massif is a large metamorphic crystalline complex located in western Turkey. The massif consists of late Neoproterozoic basement (core) rocks and Palaeozoic - Cenozoic cover units that have undergone by high- and low-grade polyphase metamorphisms. Palaeozoic to Mesozoic cover units cropped out in the NE edge of the massif (east of Sivaslı) are overlaid tectonically by upper Cretaceous meta-ophiolitic rocks. The meta-ophiolitic unit comprises blocks mainly of metabasalt, metagabbro, metadiorite and metaultramafite within an intensively sheared serpentinite matrix. It also includes blocks of epidote-actinolite-schist and tremolite-actinolite-schist, which originated from basic rocks, as well as chlorite schist blocks, which originated from ultramafic rocks. Sodic-calcic amphiboles recorded in the samples of metabasalt block taken from the marble-metabasalt block boundary, at the tectonic contact where the meta-ophiolitic rocks overlap the underlying marble sequence. Sodic-calcic amphiboles were classified into winchite and ferri-winchite with relatively homogeneous TSi (7.35–8.01 a.p.f.u.), and XMg (0.69–0.80) values. P-T conditions were estimated to be around 300–400 °C and 5–6 kb based on the mineral chemical analyses of the sodic-calcic amphiboles. According to these values, the NE edge of the Menderes Massif must have undergone metamorphism under a medium-pressure (MP) greenschist facies.
•Metabasalts include winchite-ferri winchite at northeastern rim of the Menderes Massif.•Mineral chemistry data indicate a transition zone of MP greenschist-blueschist facies.•The metaophiolitic slice in question is probably related to the Cycladic belt.