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Lithos 100 (2008) 174 – 209

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Geochemistry of the Jurassic Mirdita Ophiolite (Albania) and the

MORB to SSZ evolution of a marginal basin oceanic crust
Yildirim Dilek a,⁎, Harald Furnes b , Minella Shallo c
a
Department of Geology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
b
Centre for Geobiology and Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, 5007 Bergen, Norway
c
Fakulteti i Gjeologjise dhe Minierave, Universiteti Politeknik, Tirana, Albania
Received 20 December 2006; accepted 8 June 2007
Available online 15 August 2007

Abstract

The Middle Jurassic Mirdita Ophiolite in northern Albania is part of an ophiolite belt occurring between the Apulian and
Pelagonian subcontinents in the Balkan Peninsula. The upper mantle and crustal units of the Mirdita Ophiolite show major changes
in thickness, rock types, and chemical compositions from west to east as a result of its complex evolution in a suprasubduction zone
(SSZ) environment. The ∼ 3–4-km-thick Western Mirdita Ophiolite (WMO) includes lherzolite–harzburgite, plagioclase–
lherzolite, plagioclase–dunite in its upper mantle units and a plutonic complex composed of olivine gabbro, troctolite, ferrogabbro,
and gabbro. These peridotites and gabbroic rocks are overlain directly by a ∼ 600-m-thick extrusive sequence containing basaltic
pillow lavas and hyaloclastites. Sheeted dikes are rare in the WMO. The ∼ 12-km-thick Eastern Mirdita Ophiolite (EMO) includes
tectonized harzburgite and dunite with extensive chromite deposits, as well as ultramafic cumulates including olivine
clinopyroxenite, wehrlite, olivine websterite, and dunite forming a transitional Moho with the overlying lower crustal section. The
plutonic rocks are made of pyroxenite, gabbronorite, gabbro, amphibole gabbro, diorite, quartz diorite, and plagiogranite. A well-
developed sheeted dike complex has mutually intrusive relations with the underlying isotropic gabbros and plagiogranites and
feeds into the overlying pillow lavas. Dike compositions change from older basalt to basaltic andesite, andesite, dacite, quartz
diorite, to late-stage andesitic and boninitic dikes as constrained by crosscutting relations. The ∼ 1.1-km-thick extrusive sequence
comprises basaltic and basaltic andesitic pillow lavas in the lower 700 m, and andesitic, dacitic and rhyodacitic massive sheet flows
in the upper 400 m. Rare boninitic dikes and lavas occur as the youngest igneous products within the EMO. The basaltic and
basaltic andesitic rocks of the WMO extrusive sequence display MORB affinities with Ti and Zr contents decreasing upsection
(TiO2 = 3.5–0.5%, Zr = 300–50 ppm), while ɛNd(T) (+8 to + 6.5) varies little. These magmas were derived from partial melting of
fertile MORB-type mantle. Fractional crystallization was important in the evolution of WMO magmas. The low Ti and HREE
abundances and Cs and Ba enrichments in the uppermost basaltic andesites may indicate an increased subduction influence in the
evolution of the late-stage WMO magmas. Basaltic andesites in the lower 700 m of the EMO volcanic sequence have lower TiO2
(∼ 0.5%) and Zr (∼ 50 ppm) contents but ɛNd(T) values (+ 7 to +6.5) are similar to those of the WMO lavas. These rocks show
variable enrichment in subduction-enriched incompatible elements (Cs, Ba, Th, U, LREE). The basaltic andesites through dacites
and boninites within the upper 400 meters of EMO lavas show low TiO2 (∼ 0.8–0.3%) and ɛNd(T) (+ 6.5 to + 3.0). The mantle
source of these rocks was variably enriched in Th by melts derived from subducted sediments as indicated by the large variations in
Ba, K, and Pb contents. EMO boninitic dikes and lavas and some gabbroic intrusions with negative ɛNd (T) values (−1.4 and −4.0,
respectively) suggest that these magmas were produced from partial melting of previously depleted, ultra-refractory mantle. The
MORB to SSZ transition (from west to east and stratigraphically upwards in the Mirdita Ophiolite and the progression of the ɛNd(T)

⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 513 529 2212; fax: +1 513 529 1542.
E-mail address: dileky@muohio.edu (Y. Dilek).

0024-4937/$ - see front matter © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2007.06.026
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 175

values from + 8.0 to −4.0 towards the east resulted from an eastward shift in protoarc–forearc magmatism, keeping pace with slab
rollback in this direction. The mantle flow above the retreating slab and in the arc-wedge corner played a major role in the
evolution of the melting column, in which melt generation, aggregation/mixing and differentiation occurred at all levels of the sub-
arc/forearc mantle. The SSZ Mirdita Ophiolite evolved during the intra-oceanic collapse and closure of the Pindos marginal basin,
which had a protracted tectonic history involving seafloor spreading, protoarc rifting, and trench-continent collision.
© 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Jurassic oceanic crust and Tethyan ophiolites; Suprasubduction zone magmatism; MORB volcanism; Boninites; Slab contamination of
mantle source; Slab rollback and extension

1. Introduction sequences displaying MORB affinities occur in the west

The Tethyan ophiolites in the Alpine orogenic system
occur along curvilinear suture zones bounding a series
of Gondwana-derived continental fragments (i.e., Apu-
lia, Pelagonia, Central Anatolian crystalline complex;
Fig. 1) and represent the remnants of Tethyan marginal
basins that evolved between these microcontinents.
Rifting of the northern edge of Gondwana started in the
Permo-Triassic and led to the formation of Triassic
volcano-sedimentary units, displaying within-plate al-
kaline basalt (WPB) to transitional and mid-ocean ridge
basalt (MORB) chemical affinities (Pamic, 1984; Dilek
and Rowland, 1993; Malpas et al., 1993; Pe-Piper, 1998;
Saccani et al., 2003). The ophiolites show an age
progression from Jurassic in the Alpine–Apennine and
the Dinaride–Albanide–Hellenide mountain belts in the
west to Cretaceous in the Anatolide–Tauride (Turkey),
the Zagros (Iran), and the Tibetan–Himalayan (China–
India–Pakistan) mountain belts in the east. The
geochemical character of these Tethyan ophiolites also
changes from MORB-like in the Alps–Apennines
(Hébert et al., 1989; Tribuzio et al., 1999; Rampone
and Piccardo, 2000) to island arc affinities (suprasub-
duction zone — SSZ ophiolites) in Cyprus, Turkey and
beyond in the east (Pearce, 1980; Pearce et al., 1984;
Robinson and Malpas, 1990; Dilek et al., 1999;
Hassanipak and Ghazi, 2000; Hébert et al., 2003;
Malpas et al., 2003; Parlak et al., 2006). Middle Jurassic
ophiolites in the Dinaride–Albanide–Hellenide moun-
tain system in the Balkan Peninsula display both MORB
and SSZ affinities (Smith, 1993; Robertson and
Karamata, 1994; Rassios and Smith, 2000; Pamic
et al., 2002; Shallo and Dilek, 2003; Saccani et al.,
2004), marking a critical transition between the western
and eastern segments of the Neo-Tethyan ophiolites in
the eastern Mediterranean region.
The MORB to SSZ shift in the geochemical affinity
of the Middle Jurassic ophiolites of the Balkan
Peninsula appears to be a lateral, west-to-east change.
Relatively thin (∼ 3–4 km) and incomplete ophiolite
and thicker (∼ 10–12 km), more complete ones showing
calc-alkaline SSZ affinities occur in the east within the
Dinarides, Albanides, and Hellenides (Pamic, 1983;
Beccaluva et al., 1984; Shallo et al., 1990; Jones et al.,
1991; Kodra et al., 1993a; Beccaluva et al., 1994;
Bortolotti et al., 1996; Bébien et al., 1998; Clift and
Dixon, 1998; Rassios and Smith, 2000; Hoeck et al.,
2002; Pamic et al., 2002; Pe-Piper and Piper, 2002;
Bazylev et al., 2003; Dilek and Flower, 2003; Saccani
and Photiades, 2004; Saccani et al., 2004; Beccaluva
et al., 2005; Bortolotti et al., 2005). Different inter-
pretations have been suggested for this geochemical
dualism, particularly those in Albania. Dede et al.
(1966) recognized first a petrographic distinction
between the upper mantle rocks of the Albanian
ophiolites marked by the existence of plagioclase-
bearing lherzolitic peridotites in the western ophiolites
and by more abundant chromite in the harzburgitic
peridotites of the eastern ophiolites. This led to the
recognition of the “lherzolitic” western-type vs. “harz-
burgitic” eastern-type ophiolites in Albania (e.g., Bébien
et al., 1998). Nicolas et al. (1999) ascribed the contrast
between the western and eastern peridotite massifs to
successive episodes of amagmatic and magmatic
spreading (respectively) in a slow spreading mid-
ocean ridge environment. The observed geochemical
and petrological differences between the two types have
been explained by an initial seafloor spreading phase
that produced the MORB crust, followed by the
inception of an intraoceanic subduction zone that
resulted in the development of the SSZ crust (Shallo,
1992; Bortolotti et al., 1996; Robertson and Shallo,
2000; Bortolotti et al., 2002; Shallo and Dilek, 2003;
Dilek and Flower, 2003; Flower and Dilek, 2003;
Bortolotti et al., 2005). All these models infer distinctly
different timing and tectonic environments of formation
of the Middle Jurassic ophiolites in Albania.
Our recent studies in the northern ophiolite belt in
Albania, known as the Mirdita zone, have shown that
the geochemical dualism here is an artifact of complex
176 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Fig. 1. Simplified tectonic map of the Mediterranean region showing the main plate boundaries, orogenic belts, and tectonic units of Eurasian, Neo-
Tethyan and Gondwana-Land affinities. Neo-Tethyan ophiolites range in age from Jurassic in the Alps and the Balkan Peninsula to Late Jurassic–
Cretaceous in the eastern Mediterranean region (mainly in Anatolia and farther east) and are associated with ocean floor sediments and flysch deposits
(shown in red). The Mirdita Ophiolite in Albania (north of Tirane) occurs along a sharp NE-SW bend in the generally NW-SE-oriented Dinaride–
Hellenide ophiolite belt. The Pelagonian continental fragment in the Balkan Peninsula separates the partly coeval Pindos–Mirdita (west) and the
Vardar Zone (east) ophiolite belts.

melt evolution in a single suprasubduction zone
environment and that the observed MORB and SSZ
affinities of the Albanian ophiolites do not require
separate tectonic settings and significantly different
times of formation. In this paper, we present new
geochemical and Sm–Nd isotopic data from the upper
crustal units (mainly the extrusive and dike rocks) of the
western and eastern parts of the Mirdita Ophiolite in
order to constrain its petrogenesis and the geochemical
evolution of its magmas. Our geochemistry is based on
detailed and systematic documentation of the structure
and volcanic stratigraphy of the extrusive sequences and
of the crosscutting relations of different dike generations
and plutons in the western and eastern parts of the
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 177

Fig. 2. Geological map of the Albanian ophiolites and surrounding units (modified from Dilek et al. 2005). The dashed line depicts the approximate
boundary between the western- and eastern-type ophiolites, based mainly on the apparent changes in the chemical affinities of the crustal and upper
mantle rocks from MORB to SSZ (respectively). 40Ar/39Ar ages (in Ma) of intrusive and metamorphic rocks are from Vergély et al. (1998) and Dimo-
Lahitte et al. (2001). Key to lettering for different peridotite massifs (from north to south): Trp — Tropoja, Krb — Krrabi, Gom — Gomsiqe, Puk —
Puke, Kuk — Kukesi, Lur — Lure, Skd — Skenderbeu, Blq — Bulqize, She — Shebenik, Shp — Shpati, Dv — Devolli, Vm — Vallamara, Vo —
Voskopoja, Mr — Morava.
178 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Mirdita Ophiolite. We use our petrogenetic and
geochemical interpretations to develop a regional
geodynamic model for the tectonomagmatic evolution
of the Mirdita Ophiolite within the Mesozoic Neo-
Tethys. Collectively, our new data and petrogenetic
model provide a testable hypothesis for the tectonomag-
matic evolution of SSZ oceanic crust in restricted
marginal basins within broader zones of continental
collision within the Tethyan realm.
2. Geology of the Mirdita Ophiolite
The Jurassic Mirdita Ophiolite occurs in a ∼30–40-
km-wide belt bounded by the conjugate passive margin
sequences of Apulia in the west and Korabi-Pelagonia in
the east (Figs. 2 and 3; Dilek et al., 2005). Large
peridotite massifs of the upper mantle units are exposed
in the western and eastern parts of this ophiolite belt.
The massifs adjacent to the Apulian margin sequences in

Fig. 3. A. Geological map of the Mirdita Ophiolite in northern Albania. A-A′, B-B′ and C-C’ depict the profile lines for the structural cross-sections
shown in B (modified from ISPGJ-IGJN, 1983, Geological Map of Albania, scale 1:200,000). The polygon marks the boundaries of the detailed
geological map shown in Fig. 4. WMP and EMP represent the western and eastern main profiles for our chemostratigraphic sampling. WSP and ESP
refer to western and eastern subprofiles, along which additional systematic sampling of the extrusive and dike rocks was carried out. The circles with
the numbers show the localities of plagiogranite and quartz diorite intrusions with new U/Pb zircon ages. B. Structural cross-sections across the
Mirdita Ophiolite. Profile A-A′ runs NNE mainly within the Western-type ophiolite, whereas Profiles B-B′ and C-C′ show the internal structural
architecture of both the Western- and Eastern-type and their contact relations.
Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 179

Fig. 3 (continued ).
180 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Fig. 4. Detailed geological map of the central part of the Mirdita Ophiolite in northern Albania. The SW and NE composite columnar sections depict
the internal structure and stratigraphy of the Western- and Eastern-type ophiolites in general. The WMP and EMP sections show the volcanic
stratigraphy and the sample numbers and locations along the western and eastern main profiles, respectively. Key to town/village names: A —
Aramire, B — Bardhaj, Bu — Bulshar, D — Domgjon, Da — Dardhe, Gj — Gjegjan, H — Helshan, K — Kimez, Kr — Kryez, Ks — Kushnen,
M — Mollkuge, P — Paluçe, Pr — Perlat, Rp — Reps, Sh — Shëngjergi, Sp — Spaç.
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
the west (i.e., Krabbi, Gomsiqe, Skenderbeu) are mainly
plagioclase lherzolites, whereas those close to Pelagonia
in the east (i.e., Tropoja, Kukesi, Lura) are harzburgites
with major chromite deposits (Nicolas et al., 1999;
Hoxha and Boullier, 1995). The western lherzolites
show a pervasive mylonitic fabric, caused by high-
temperature (∼ 1000–800 °C) plastic deformation under
lithospheric conditions and spatially associated with
melt impregnation patches (Nicolas et al., 1999). These
upper mantle rocks are overlain by plastically deformed
flaser gabbros. Isotropic gabbros and sheeted dikes are
rare in crustal sections, and mylonitic peridotites and
deformed gabbros are locally overlain by basaltic lavas
(Fig. 3B) and intruded by diabasic dikes and sills.
Nicolas et al. (1999) suggest that the western lherzolites
transition into tectonized harzburgites a few km below
the lower crustal gabbros.
Based on differences between upper mantle perido-
tites and the internal stratigraphy and chemical compo-
sitions of crustal units, previous studies have recognized
two types of ophiolites in the Mirdita zone (Shallo et al.,
1985; Shallo, 1990; Shallo et al., 1990; Kodra et al.,
1993b; Beccaluva et al., 1994; Shallo, 1994; Bortolotti
et al., 1996; Tashko, 1996; Bébien et al., 1998; Nicolas
et al., 1999; Bébien et al., 2000; Insergueix-Filippi et al.,
2000; Hoeck et al., 2002; Shallo and Dilek, 2003;
Beccaluva et al., 2005; Bortolotti et al., 2005). These
will subsequently be referred to as the Western Mirdita
Ophiolite (WMO) and the Eastern Mirdita Ophiolite
(EMO). The WMO has much thinner crust (∼ 2–3 km)
and shows mainly MORB affinities, whereas the EMO
is up to 10–12-km- thick and shows predominantly SSZ
geochemical affinities (Fig. 3B). The boundary between
these two types is an irregular contact (Fig. 2) along
which the Eastern-type plutonic and hypabyssal rocks
intrude Western-type peridotites and gabbros. EMO
subunits are locally juxtaposed tectonically against the
Western-type peridotites and gabbros along west-
directed, Late Cenozoic thrust faults (Fig. 3B; Dilek
et al., 2005).
The WMO contains upper mantle peridotites, mafic-
ultramafic cumulates and mylonitic gabbros, sparse
sheeted dikes, and extrusive rocks that collectively form
a ∼ 3-km-thick composite sequence. Peridotites include
lherzolite–harzburgite, plagioclase lherzolite, plagio-
clase dunite, and rare amphibole peridotites (olivine
hornblendite). The plutonic sequence, which locally
intrudes into and/or overlies the peridotites, consists of
troctolite, olivine gabbro, ferrogabbro, gabbro, and rare
amphibole gabbro and generally displays an ol–pl–px
crystallization order (Beccaluva et al., 1994; Saccani
et al., 2004; Beccaluva et al., 2005). Extrusive rocks,
181
composed mainly of massive to pillow lavas and
hyaloclastites, form a nearly 600-m-thick sequence
that rests directly on serpentinized peridotites and
gabbroic rocks along primary contacts (Figs. 4 and 5;
Dilek et al., 2005). These contact relations suggest that
the lavas erupted directly on the upper mantle peridotites
and lower crustal rocks exposed on the seafloor. Isolated
dikes crosscut these extrusive rocks and feed younger
lava flows. Normal faults truncate and displace dikes
and flows for as much as several meters and are spatially
associated with quartz and epidote mineralization
(Banerjee et al., 2002; Dilek et al., 2005). The lavas
are stratigraphically overlain by 5- to 20-m-thick
radiolarian cherts that are late Bajocian-early Bathonian
(∼ 168–166 Ma) to late Bathonian-early Callovian
(∼ 165–163 Ma) in age (Marcucci et al., 1994; Marcucci
and Prela, 1996).
The EMO commonly includes all subunits of a
typical Penrose-type ophiolite pseudostratigraphy
(Figs. 3B and 4) with thicknesses up to 10–12 km
(Shallo and Dilek, 2003, and references therein). The
peridotite massifs of this type (Tropoja, Kukesi, Lura)
are composed of harzburgite tectonite, interlayered
harzburgite and dunite, and dunite with extensive
chromite deposits. The harzburgites are composed of
olivine (∼ 80% forsterite), orthopyroxene (∼ 17% ensta-
tite), clinopyroxene (b 3% diopside), and spinel (∼2%)
(Hoxha and Boullier, 1995). Dunites are massive and
composed of olivine, chrome spinel, orthopyroxene, and
interstitial clinopyroxene. Massive dunite in the upper
peridotite section transitions upward into ultramafic
cumulates (0.5 to b 2 km-thick), which consist of olivine
clinopyroxenite, wehrlite, olivine websterite, and du-
nite, forming a transitional Moho (Dilek et al., 2007).
The EMO plutonic section comprises pyroxenite,
gabbronorite, gabbro, amphibole gabbro, diorite, quartz
diorite, and plagiogranite intrusions. Late-stage harz-
burgite–wehrlite intrusions crosscut the lower crustal
rocks in both the WMO and EMO (Dilek et al., 2005).
Sheeted dikes have mutually intrusive relations with
underlying isotropic gabbros, plagiogranites, and quartz
diorites, and feed the overlying pillow lavas (Fig. 3B).
Sheeted dikes generally dip ∼ 80°–60°, except where
they have been rotated into more gentle dips (40°–30°)
along low-angle normal faults. Dikes are extensively
mineralized along these faults and around the late-stage
quartz diorite intrusions that are widespread throughout
the EMO (Fig. 3A). Dike swarms locally intrude the
overlying lava flows causing hydrothermal alteration
and mineralization (epidosite and pyrite) in their
volcanic host rocks. Hydrothermal brecciation and
accompanying mineralization are also common along
182 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
Fig. 5. (A). Basaltic pillow lavas of the Western-type ophiolite near the base of the WMP; (B). altered basaltic pillow lavas at the top of the extrusive
section beneath the chert cover along the WMP.
these dike swarms in the extrusive rocks. Epidote,
quartz, and pyrite–chalcopyrite mineralization and
hydrothermal alteration are common in the sheeted
dike rocks hosting the quartz diorite intrusions. Both the
sheeted dikes and quartz diorites are oriented NNE,
parallel to the main trend of the Mirdita Zone, implying
that EMO spreading was directed WNW-ESE (Fig. 4).
The EMO extrusive sequence is nearly 1.1-km-thick
and consists of pillowed to massive flows ranging in
composition from basalt and basaltic andesite in the
lower sections to andesite, dacite, and rhyodacite in the
upper part (Figs. 4 and 6; Shallo et al., 1987; Shallo,
1990; Beccaluva et al., 1994; Shallo, 1995; Bortolotti
et al., 1996, 2002; Shallo and Dilek, 2003; Saccani et al.,
2004; Bortolotti et al., 2005). Rare boninitic dikes and
lavas in the easternmost Mirdita zone crosscut and/or
overlie earlier extrusive rocks, indicating that they
represent the youngest magmatic products during crustal
accretion of the EMO (Dilek et al., 2005). Upper
Bathonian–Oxfordian radiolarian cherts stratigraphi-
cally overlie the extrusive sequence of the Eastern-
type ophiolites (Marcucci et al., 1994; Chiari et al.,
1994; Marcucci and Prela, 1996).
3. Volcanic stratigraphy
Most analyzed samples were collected along two
profiles, WMP and EMP for the Western and Eastern
main profiles, respectively, shown on the geological
map in Fig. 3A. Additional rock samples were also
collected along the Western (WSP) and Eastern sub-
profiles (ESP) (Fig. 3A).
The volcanic rocks along the WMP consist mainly of
pillow lavas with minor sheet flows and hyaloclastic
breccias (Figs. 4 and 5). The extrusive sequence along this
profile is ∼ 650-m-thick and rests directly on
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 183

Fig. 6. (A). Basaltic andesite pillow lavas at the bottom of the EMP extrusive sequence showing a progression from mega-pillows at the bottom to
mini-pillows on top. The white line marks the boundary between two eruptive cycles. (B). Andesitic massive lava flows about 600 m above the base
of the volcanic section along the EMP. An E-dipping high-angle normal fault (F-F′) crosscuts the lava units (C) Andesitic massive lavas and
hyaloclastites about 850 m above the base of the volcanic section along the EMP. (D) Dacitic (rhyodacitic) lavas near the top of the extrusive sequence
along the EMP.

serpentinized lherzolites and/or gabbroic rocks (Fig. 4).
The basaltic lavas that make up a large part of the
sequence are non-amygdaloidal and predominantly
aphyric or slightly phyric (∼90% contain b 2% pheno-
crysts). In the lower 100 m of the section minor pillow
breccias and hyaloclastites occur at discrete stratigraphic
horizons. At the stratigraphic height of 250 m, there are
several 2–3-m-thick massive flows (Fig. 4). The pillows
immediately overlying these massive flows are large
(∼2 m in diameter) but become progressively smaller
upwards. Pillow lavas composed of slightly amygdaloidal
basaltic andesite occur at the top of the WMP. We
analyzed a total of 26 rock samples collected along the
WMP.
The Western sub-profile (WSP) is a discontinuous
section of non-amygdaloidal basaltic pillow lavas
estimated to be ∼ 660-m-thick (Fig. 3A). We collected
nine samples along this profile at 5 to 60 m intervals,
beginning ∼ 180 m above the base of the extrusive
sequence.
The volcanic sequence along the EMP, which is
located ∼ 5–7 km NNE of the WMP (Fig. 4), is about
1.1-km-thick and overlies a sheeted dike complex along
a transitional zone consisting of lavas intruded by dike
swarms and microgabbros. The uppermost part of this
sequence is overlain by several tens of meters of red
chert, intercalated with black shales. The lower 400 m of
the sequence consists of non-amygdaloidal to slightly
amygdaloidal (0 to ∼ 2% vesicles) basaltic andesites.
Stratigraphically upward and between 400 m and 650 m
above the base of the extrusive sequence the rocks
consist dominantly of pillow lavas, massive flows,
pillow breccias and hyaloclastites (Figs. 4 and 6), all of
which are made of basaltic andesite. These lavas are
moderately to highly amygdaloidal (N2% to ∼10%).
Farther up, between 650 m and 700 m, the rocks are
moderately amygdaloidal basaltic andesitic pillow lavas.
From 700 m to the top of the extrusive sequence, massive
flows dominate with minor pillow lavas and pillow
breccias (Figs. 4 and 6). These rocks are mostly non- to
highly amygdaloidal andesite with minor amounts of
highly amygdaloidal (up to 25%) basalt and dacite. The
phenocrysts in the andesites consist of plagioclase and
clinopyroxene, whereas in the dacites the phenocryst
184 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Table 1
Major- and trace-element analyses (XRF and ICP-MS) of lavas, dikes and plutonic rocks of the Mirdita Ophiolite
Sample Rock type SiO2 TiO2 Al2O3 FeOt MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O P2O5 L.O.I SUM Sc V Cr Co Ni Cu Zn
number
Lava flows of the western main profile
4-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 50.30 1.10 14.88 10.27 0.19 8.00 12.51 1.89 0.11 0.06 1.60 100.91 293 381 48 109 100 83
5-Al-00 B.and.pl.lava 53.37 0.57 15.57 9.92 0.17 6.08 7.45 3.78 0.01 0.04 3.11 100.07 35.8 262 82 53 47 102 80
62a-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 47.44 1.76 14.04 13.39 0.21 6.61 9.91 2.04 0.06 0.21 4.24 99.92 41.9 341 238 74 121 59 123
44-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 48.18 1.54 14.66 13.29 0.21 7.05 10.02 2.16 0.18 0.11 3.31 100.71 49.7 400 84 65 47 80 123
61-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 48.94 2.37 12.85 15.01 0.24 6.28 8.44 2.27 0.24 0.21 2.44 99.28 385 102 76 53 47 132
58-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 47.89 2.40 13.45 15.59 0.23 5.68 8.90 2.43 0.25 0.24 2.86 99.90 411 150 79 57 45 154
42-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 49.45 2.47 13.74 15.64 0.20 5.51 9.56 2.14 0.18 0.20 1.97 101.06 435 95 71 52 53 149
52-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 42.91 2.08 11.7 12.85 0.21 4.85 8.17 2.55 0.21 0.21 13.97 99.71 440 107 81 52 60 152
48-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 49.90 2.42 13.17 15.28 0.23 6.17 8.04 2.15 0.22 0.24 2.55 99.77 431 96 81 52 52 149
45-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 48.59 2.42 13.43 15.44 0.21 5.72 9.49 1.93 0.22 0.26 2.58 100.28 44.6 482 102 80 55 57 150
41-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 48.60 2.45 13.60 15.63 0.20 5.52 9.92 1.56 0.06 0.27 2.65 100.44 492 92 83 54 57 150
38-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 49.18 1.49 14.33 12.98 0.21 7.06 9.09 2.42 0.30 0.12 2.46 99.63 44.7 341 128 62 57 68 119
35-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 50.95 1.40 13.49 12.31 0.19 6.69 7.43 2.78 0.06 0.13 3.74 99.18 327 125 70 56 74 116
40-Al-00 Bas.ms.lava 48.70 3.55 12.51 16.04 0.24 4.76 8.54 3.02 0.37 0.37 1.95 100.05 46.4 448 41 66 32 58 153
32-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 48.91 1.51 14.54 13.14 0.19 7.32 9.81 2.03 0.15 0.12 2.67 100.40 384 110 65 53 69 110
31-Al-01 Bas.ms.lava 46.03 1.96 14.22 13.68 0.22 6.31 11.74 1.54 0.07 0.18 4.68 100.67 46.9 495 198 74 78 80 121
29-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 41.11 1.98 14.84 12.32 0.18 4.81 14.08 1.44 0.08 0.17 9.64 100.66 511 237 71 83 98 115
39-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 49.63 1.95 13.11 13.10 0.21 6.96 8.16 3.14 0.05 0.15 3.31 99.77 366 179 66 75 68 132
25-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 47.01 3.42 13.32 15.64 0.26 6.00 7.52 2.40 0.03 0.43 3.50 99.55 50.10 474 70 86 46 59 174
36-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 49.62 1.92 13.85 13.42 0.21 6.91 9.42 2.61 0.27 0.14 2.14 100.51 369 185 63 77 71 123
24-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 48.82 1.97 14.17 13.85 0.19 6.93 11.44 1.65 0.06 0.19 1.43 100.69 403 178 64 68 69 117
20-Al-01 Bas.ms.lava 47.51 1.97 14.45 13.84 0.22 6.90 10.73 2.06 0.14 0.17 2.13 100.11 403 164 66 67 76 101
17-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 47.79 2.08 14.02 13.74 0.22 7.08 10.23 2.31 0.10 0.2 2.54 100.30 418 166 74 89 81 121
33-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 48.79 2.71 13.67 15.45 0.20 5.52 8.46 2.72 0.35 0.24 2.5 100.61 442 52 71 38 71 146
14-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 47.77 1.97 14.24 13.41 0.20 7.06 10.50 2.26 0.14 0.17 2.62 100.35 418 203 72 94 83 111
2-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 50.23 2.34 13.21 13.81 0.22 6.21 8.65 3.08 0.07 0.21 2.42 100.45 37.8 364 113 66 55 55 136

Lava flows of the western sub-profile

98-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 48.99 0.66 17.55 8.07 0.17 7.13 12.44 3.04 0.48 0.02 1.69 100.25 293 335 49 132 146 70
96-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 49.01 0.72 17.18 8.21 0.13 7.18 9.44 2.11 1.10 0.02 4.40 99.51 303 306 47 154 123 81
95-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 47.81 0.65 18.43 8.79 0.16 4.89 14.39 1.75 0.58 0.03 3.69 101.17 287 390 38 70 86 77
94-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 46.38 0.61 18.15 7.56 0.14 6.79 15.47 1.16 0.12 0.03 4.74 101.15 311 287 52 123 141 75
93-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 48.47 1.62 13.93 12.28 0.17 6.26 10.85 2.09 0.14 0.12 4.43 100.35 427 157 66 70 88 104
88-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 49.45 1.09 14.51 10.06 0.14 5.55 14.82 1.76 0.25 0.07 3.44 101.16 324 321 49 93 85 108
84-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 45.23 0.47 10.78 9.71 0.21 17.45 7.24 0.27 0.01 0.01 7.72 99.10 139 1295 85 1354 57 63
83-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 50.83 1.60 13.43 11.14 0.16 5.04 12.51 2.26 0.06 0.16 3.91 101.11 279 133 52 58 67 90
76-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 50.05 2.02 13.3 13.61 0.19 6.76 7.91 3.25 0.07 0.18 2.67 100.01 350 172 77 84 59 127
98-Al-15 Bas.pl.lava 50.77 2.39 13.52 11.42 0.23 6.44 8.96 4.40 0.20 0.20 1.85 100.38 47.6 411 122 51 47 106

Lava flows of the eastern main profile

31-Al-00 And.ms.lava 55.70 0.32 14.62 7.95 0.15 4.36 5.54 4.36 0.06 0.03 6.61 99.7 217 57 41 25 143 65
30-Al-00 And.ms.lava 60.03 0.57 14.37 6.03 0.09 2.72 5.14 5.38 0.04 0.04 5.36 99.77 137 54 31 21 72 66
63-Al-01 B.and.ms.lava 56.46 0.34 14.23 8.64 0.14 5.07 4.25 3.81 0.07 0.03 5.99 99.03 33.40 265 180 50 31 103 70
64-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 50.25 0.57 14.70 9.43 0.14 7.50 4.97 2.80 0.09 0.04 8.11 98.61 42.10 368 166 60 48 51 78
29-Al-00 And.ms.lava 57.71 0.46 15.43 8.60 0.12 4.99 4.05 4.39 0.52 0.04 2.78 99.09 247 60 41 42 25 53
65-Al-01 B.and.ms.lava 53.36 0.36 15.10 8.97 0.14 7.16 5.00 2.17 0.26 0.03 5.42 97.97 343 146 49 54 62 61
28-Al-00 B.and.ms.lava 52.95 0.84 15.22 11.04 0.15 5.99 5.67 3.76 0.18 0.06 3.25 99.11 41.10 318 37 56 27 102 77
26-Al-00 Dac./And.pl.lava 66.44 0.49 11.38 7.17 0.13 2.47 3.46 5.17 0.04 0.04 1.72 98.51 92 33 38 29 55 79
25-Al-00 And./B.and.ms.lava 60.1 0.57 14.22 9.64 0.17 4.18 4.37 3.83 0.13 0.04 2.95 100.20 305 30 49 18 137 82
66-Al-01 And.ms.lava 57.82 0.47 15.38 8.55 0.14 5.16 3.87 4.31 0.38 0.04 2.52 98.65 245 85 41 44 30 55
68-Al-01 B.and.ms.lava 52.60 0.54 15.09 9.35 0.16 7.41 5.03 3.75 0.28 0.06 4.42 98.67 404 139 53 44 130 77
69-Al-01 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 54.38 0.52 14.85 9.54 0.14 7.45 2 3.61 0.17 0.04 5.56 98.27 324 99 55 49 78 84
23-Al-00 B.and.ms.lava 52.91 0.61 15.26 10.21 0.18 6.89 5.93 3.00 0.63 0.03 3.63 99.28 38.9 279 72 50 38 98 77
22-Al-00 B.and./And.pl.lava 58.67 0.46 14.19 8.73 0.16 5.68 5.02 4.10 0.07 0.02 2.12 99.22 194 69 47 38 67 78
70-Al-01 And./B.and.pl.lava 60.42 0.36 11.09 6.73 0.17 7.64 6.42 3.73 0.03 0.02 2.65 99.26 39.6 108 404 35 64 225 52
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 185

Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta Pb Th U

nd 75 31 58
2 11 17 44 1.01 0.01 3 1.62 3.29 0.56 3.07 1.32 0.49 1.98 0.40 2.82 0.63 1.79 0.27 1.73 0.28 0.99 0.06 1.08 0.24 0.13
2 74 64 168 1.71 0.01 3 4.00 12.83 2.25 13.36 5.51 1.76 7.78 1.49 10.14 2.13 6.11 0.89 5.57 0.88 4.01 0.13 0.34 0.15 0.07
2 92 43 91 0.74 0.03 5 1.95 6.65 1.23 7.68 3.52 1.32 5.16 1.04 7.09 1.55 4.32 0.62 3.89 0.61 2.38 0.06 0.45 0.11 0.04
3 99 70 174
3 106 69 173
2 117 70 166
2 102 73 188
2 98 72 179
1 97 68 182 1.9 0.06 6 4.56 14.79 2.63 15.36 6.37 2.25 8.83 1.70 11.52 2.46 6.87 1.00 6.26 0.97 4.62 0.15 0.48 0.17 0.07
85 71 188
3 92 49 97 0.75 0.05 17 2.04 6.96 1.30 8.22 3.74 1.37 5.57 1.11 7.54 1.65 4.63 0.68 4.28 0.67 2.55 0.06 0.2 0.09 0.06
1 57 47 100
nd 126 91 284 5.49 0.02 11 9.47 27.69 4.45 23.93 8.69 2.86 11.51 2.16 14.34 3.07 8.64 1.24 7.67 1.20 6.81 0.44 0.92 0.38 0.17
1 72 46 101
1 77 55 148 1.18 0.02 3 2.97 10.36 1.89 11.28 4.79 1.77 6.78 1.31 8.93 1.92 5.29 0.78 4.85 0.76 3.34 0.09 0.36 0.14 0.04
86 61 162
nd 47 51 138
1 104 79 273 5.47 0.01 3 8.99 26.59 4.27 23.33 8.49 2.71 10.93 2.07 13.23 2.81 7.66 1.11 6.95 1.08 6.66 0.42 0.76 0.37 0.38
nd 115 51 129
2 71 50 135
1 82 52 135
1 137 53 156
149 64 199
141 54 154
nd 104 63 172 2.3 0.01 8 4.74 14.66 2.51 14.39 5.8 1.97 7.84 1.52 10.18 2.22 6.17 0.89 5.48 0.86 4.28 0.19 2.78 0.29 0.13

10 240 24 31
21 135 24 32
13 54 20 42
2 59 20 32
2 64 50 111
7 97 37 81
2 14 17 29
20 46 129
2 35 58 142
2.3 85 56 140 1.95 0.01 10 4.39 13.85 2.41 13.95 5.62 1.96 7.86 1.49 10.04 2.16 6.02 0.87 5.43 0.84 4.23 0.17 0.64 0.23 0.12

nd 78 16 44
nd 59 20 46
1 71 13 47 0.6 0.02 12 1.07 2.49 0.35 1.88 0.80 0.28 1.22 0.24 1.70 0.38 1.11 0.17 1.16 0.19 0.84 0.04 0.13 0.18 0.07
3 33 24 56 0.54 0.03 6 1.03 3.12 0.55 3.37 1.58 0.62 2.49 0.51 3.63 0.81 2.29 0.34 2.12 0.33 1.07 0.04 0.21 0.07 0.11
5 123 15 43
4 64 16 39
nd 79 26 61 0.69 0.03 12 1.72 4.12 0.71 4.36 2.01 0.75 3.10 0.61 4.29 0.94 2.69 0.40 2.57 0.41 1.46 0.05 0.35 0.16 0.07
nd 55 23 45
nd 85 19 44
4 104 17 44
6 75 21 46
1 34 21 43
8 99 18 45 0.57 0.24 50 1.17 3.09 0.52 3.19 1.46 0.61 2.28 0.48 3.22 0.74 2.06 0.31 1.94 0.32 1.04 0.04 0.49 0.13 0.06
nd 86 16 36
20 14 37 0.27 0.04 2 0.64 1.84 0.32 1.93 0.89 0.35 1.35 0.26 1.84 0.41 1.15 0.17 1.08 0.17 0.56 0.02 0.25 0.04 0.03
(continued on next page)
186 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Table 1 (continued )
Sample Rock type SiO2 TiO2 Al2O3 FeOt MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O P2O5 L.O.I SUM Sc V Cr Co Ni Cu Zn
number
Lava flows of the eastern main profile
72-Al-01 Dac./And.pl.lava 64.64 0.52 12.86 6.85 0.08 4.05 1.61 4.46 0.12 0.05 3.66 98.91 129 44 35 31 99 70
17-Al-00 B.and.ms.lava 53.20 0.68 15.51 11.00 0.18 5.99 6.34 3.81 0.23 0.05 2.55 99.54 276 42 55 31 94 80
16-Al-00 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 56.66 0.41 13.55 8.05 0.15 5.96 8.40 3.42 0.01 0.02 3.57 100.20 33.90 199 138 43 64 70 61
13-Al-00 B.and./Bon.pl.lava 53.87 0.43 13.27 9.5 0.15 8.13 8.09 3.17 0.01 0.02 3.49 100.13 228 337 51 93 84 75
73-Al-01 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 52.96 0.38 13.53 8.13 0.17 7.52 11.16 3.19 0.02 0.03 3.04 100.13 185 407 41 91 110 52
74-Al-01 B.and./Bas.ms.lava 52.23 0.57 15.37 10.31 0.16 7.12 6.18 3.55 0.16 0.05 3.05 98.75 43.2 270 78 60 38 22 83
12-Al-00 B.and.pl.lava 53.81 0.55 14.54 9.29 0.15 6.98 5.74 4.13 0.05 0.05 3.75 99.04 238 153 49 51 63 76
11-Al-00 B.and.pl.lava 56.37 0.49 14.55 9.10 0.16 6.84 4.75 3.86 0.05 0.03 3.53 99.73 38.80 237 86 50 44 81 76
9-Al-00 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 53.99 0.48 14.80 9.26 0.15 6.81 6.04 3.84 0.01 0.02 3.7 99.10 252 129 50 51 69 79
105-Al-01 And.ms.lava 62.63 0.47 12.05 6.66 0.11 1.50 5.30 0.94 0.38 0.06 11.12 101.22 3 33 4 35 91
104-Al-01 Rhy.ms.lava 70.55 0.39 11.82 6.25 0.05 1.12 1.68 3.70 0.57 0.08 2.04 98.25 9 7 22 4 21 89
102-Al-01 B.and.ms.lava 55.88 0.87 14.65 11.99 0.16 6.07 3.27 2.19 0.14 0.07 4.00 99.30 460 36 56 13 739 48
101-Al-01 B.and./Bas.ms.lava 53.64 0.74 14.45 14.95 0.16 6.34 1.89 2.37 0.10 0.05 4.20 98.90 528 204 90 36 92
100-Al-01 Bon./Bas.pl.lava 53.21 0.29 13.16 10.88 0.18 9.83 3.58 2.27 0.01 0.01 5.68 99.12 291 351 61 75 35 66

Lava flows from the eastern part

52-Al-00 Bon./Bas.pl.lava 56.33 0.53 14.17 9.36 0.25 8.55 3.43 2.75 n.d 0.02 3.78 99.17 287 218 52 55 5 135
58-Al-00 Bas.ms.lava 49.55 0.61 16.03 12.54 0.11 6.62 4.89 3.11 0.02 n.d 5.70 99.18 440 52 71 29 73 120
YDKA99–9 Bas.ms.lava 48.14 1.10 14.45 9.31 0.18 7.47 12.81 2.64 0.50 0.06 96.66 45.5 285 377 98 75 77
YDKA99–1 B.and.ms.lava 54.81 0.61 15.16 9.44 0.16 6.21 5.84 5.10 0.04 0.05 97.42 40.6 257 71 38 109 77
YDKA99–2 And.ms.lava 57.71 0.45 13.71 9.13 0.10 3.41 5.62 5.43 0.13 0.03 95.72 35 336 18 5 100 65
YDKA99–3 And. Ms.lava 56.4 0.70 14.64 10.15 0.12 7.67 2.16 4.79 0.10 0.06 96.78 38.7 300 16 18 139 77
YDKA99–8 Dac.ms.lava 67.48 0.44 11.61 6.06 0.12 0.83 5.12 1.71 0.57 0.08 93.73 20.7 13 0 3 29 89
60-Al-00 Dac.br.lava 65.26 0.35 11.16 5.92 0.11 0.69 5.03 0.81 0.3 0.06 11.81 101.5 2 2 23 3 65 89
61-Al-00 Rhy.ms.lava 83.92 0.26 8.07 3.06 0.04 0.16 2.04 2.28 0.41 0.21 1.42 101.87 8 17 9 3 7 37
63-Al-00 And.ms.lava 57.36 0.80 14.64 12.11 0.15 3.12 6.04 0.87 2.53 0.04 3.51 101.17 772 27 40 8 54 122
65-Al-00 Rhy./Dac.ms.lava 70.94 0.36 12.27 5.64 0.27 2.38 2.24 2.53 0.30 0.07 3.48 100.48 1 13 22 4 41 95

Dikes and sills from the western part

35-Al-00 Bas.dike 49.92 2.24 13.16 14.37 0.21 5.45 9.61 3.03 0.04 0.17 2.26 100.46 43.2 339 66 61 42 53 97
70-Al-00 Bas.dike 48.75 0.84 16.20 9.93 0.15 8.94 10.05 1.74 0.04 0.02 3.33 99.99 278 494 52 150 99 69
55-Al-01 Bas.dike 47.54 0.62 15.86 8.82 0.16 9.54 12.88 1.05 0.05 0.02 3.21 99.74 37.4 251 470 46 215 101 64
62-Al-01 Bas.dike 49.03 2.38 13.35 15.47 0.30 5.89 10.47 1.59 0.04 0.25 1.61 100.37 43.9 438 90 76 52 55 143
98-Al-12 Bas.sill 48.54 0.83 16.70 9.65 0.21 10.42 8.46 2.99 1.20 0.04 4.52 103.56 53.4 229 274 157 113 62
98-Al-11 Bas.sill 49.78 0.87 20.25 7.45 0.18 7.84 7.16 3.50 2.16 0.05 4.67 103.91 38.7 183 260 117 99 51
98-Al-03 Bas.m.gb. 44.83 0.19 9.94 5.41 0.14 12.36 23.51 2.91 0.02 0.06 6.29 105.66 35.3 167 342 335 49 37

Dikes and sills from the eastern part

YDKA99–4 Bon.sill 52.38 0.32 12.58 7.78 0.22 12.31 8.95 2.33 0.61 0.02 97.52 48.4 222 671 130 15 111
87-Al-00 Bas.dike 55.48 0.25 15.75 10.16 0.17 7.17 9.86 0.40 0.08 n.d 1.52 100.84 275 303 49 97 37 86
YDKA99–5 B.and.dike 57.33 0.84 14.57 10.99 0.20 5.26 5.56 1.18 1.47 0.06 97.46 44.1 310 25 7 127 56
YDKA99–6 B.and.dike 55.31 0.69 15.45 10.02 0.17 6.89 5.87 2.75 0.60 0.06 97.8 43.3 345 47 31 126 67
YDKA99–7 B.and.dike 55.28 0.71 13.95 8.66 0.09 7.16 8.24 2.32 0.40 0.07 96.87 35.1 245 41 29 36 37
78-Al-00 Bon./Bas.dike 54.89 0.36 13.64 8.80 0.14 7.95 5.16 2.21 0.28 n.d 5.84 99.27 50.8 294 467 49 117 10 55
90-Al-00 Bon.dike 53.21 0.12 10.35 8.87 0.15 15.56 9.28 0.05 0.01 0.01 1.81 99.42 51.8 191 1319 56 410 5 35
48-Al-00 And.dike 61.82 1.07 13.75 12.01 0.05 1.28 4.03 4.79 0.03 0.28 0.95 100.06 23.4 7 6 50 2 nd 19
50-Al-00 And./Dac.dike 63.82 0.97 13.87 10.13 0.05 1.23 3.89 4.88 0.02 0.23 0.84 99.93 19 20 7 39 8 nd 14
55-Al-00 And.dike 61.82 1.30 14.07 11.05 0.11 2.61 3.69 3.17 0.36 0.08 2.07 100.33 31.5 116 10 49 6 1118 79
72-Al-00 And.dike 59.60 1.17 15.16 12.34 0.14 3.06 8.14 1.24 0.13 0.05 0.87 101.90 40.8 192 29 47 9 9 23
75-Al-00 And.dike 58.27 0.66 14.51 10.61 0.14 4.32 4.94 3.26 0.64 0.04 2.49 99.88 44.3 348 24 50 18 7 32
79-Al-00 B.and.dike 56.71 0.61 15.14 11.42 0.14 4.60 6.04 2.16 0.06 0.02 3.86 100.76 375 40 56 23 10 69
76-Al-00 Rhy.dike 73.00 0.43 11.86 6.48 0.04 0.83 0.93 4.82 0.03 0.07 1.23 99.72 11 5 27 2 nd 15
80-Al-00 Rhy.dike 74.61 0.44 11.68 6.35 0.07 0.74 1.41 4.69 0.09 0.07 0.87 101.02 20.8 10 7 27 2 nd 19
67-Al-01 B.and./Bas.dike 53.39 0.62 15.54 10.14 0.12 7.51 5.95 1.62 0.63 0.05 3.82 99.40 264 122 50 49 72 72
71-Al-01 Bas.dike 51.96 0.57 15.22 10.06 0.17 8.04 5.37 2.61 0.51 0.05 4.11 98.66 294 86 53 40 104 72
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 187

Table 1 (continued )
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta Pb Th U

51 22 51
nd 106 19 45
nd 18 16 35 0.44 0 4 0.93 2.20 0.37 2.10 0.96 0.37 1.46 0.30 2.12 0.47 1.35 0.20 1.24 0.20 0.66 0.03 0.38 0.15 0.09
nd 11 12 34
16 15 40
2 73 21 47 0.47 0.03 20 1.01 2.83 0.50 3.03 1.44 0.58 2.25 0.45 3.13 0.69 1.93 0.30 1.87 0.30 0.99 0.03 0.32 0.06 0.05
nd 64 17 46
nd 44 13 43 0.65 0.02 10 1.18 2.87 0.45 2.53 1.12 0.43 1.66 0.34 2.42 0.53 1.54 0.23 1.48 0.23 0.84 0.05 0.54 0.18 0.05
nd 15 15 46
16 154 40 90
3 56 40 74
2 65 29 53
2 56 22 43
1 21 9 29

2 25 11 39
nd 105 11 30
6.9 155 30 47 1.15 0.2 36 1.63 4.26 0.76 4.65 2.39 0.93 3.75 0.77 5.35 1.18 3.38 0.49 2.98 0.47 1.48 0.08 0.26 0.22 0.08
0.5 18 18 36 1.2 0.01 5 1.82 4.54 0.69 3.73 1.54 0.51 2.11 0.46 3.15 0.70 2.04 0.30 1.93 0.30 1.11 0.09 0.6 0.3 0.11
1.6 25 10 24 0.89 0.04 7 1.16 2.58 0.35 1.84 0.73 0.26 1.03 0.22 1.59 0.36 1.08 0.17 1.13 0.19 0.76 0.08 0.4 0.26 0.1
1.1 33 17 34 0.63 0.05 7 1.13 2.89 0.48 2.85 1.31 0.45 1.88 0.42 2.89 0.66 1.82 0.27 1.71 0.26 1 0.05 0.43 0.17 0.06
14.5 70 33 60 1.09 2.06 50 3.54 8.59 1.20 6.46 2.70 0.87 3.91 0.77 5.36 1.21 3.46 0.52 3.40 0.56 1.87 0.09 5 0.98 0.45
8 391 53 91
9 57 67 51
54 78 14 36
8 78 41 94

nd 73 59 150 1.29 0 3 3.39 11.50 2.10 12.45 5.34 2.00 7.49 1.47 9.79 2.13 5.90 0.86 5.34 0.82 3.78 0.11 0.21 0.15 0.05
nd 104 23 35
1 90 21 36 0.06 0.01 5 0.41 1.24 0.30 2.25 1.33 0.61 2.35 0.49 3.51 0.76 2.16 0.32 2.03 0.31 0.77 0 0.01 0 0
85 67 183 1.94 0.01 5 4.60 14.61 2.54 15.20 6.18 2.12 8.77 1.68 11.27 2.43 6.73 0.99 6.22 0.96 4.55 0.15 0.51 0.18 0.07
25.9 723 24 50 1.47 2.26 378 2.14 5.43 0.91 5.08 1.97 0.80 3.06 0.60 4.20 0.93 2.64 0.39 2.44 0.40 1.32 0.11 0.33 0.2 0.05
39.7 29 20 55 1.35 1.1 480 2.23 5.94 0.96 5.11 1.84 0.91 2.73 0.52 3.47 0.77 2.12 0.32 1.99 0.31 1.32 0.1 0.35 0.15 0.04
0.6 251 9 6 0.19 0.03 2 0.65 0.46 0.12 0.33 0.26 0.21 0.65 0.16 1.23 0.30 0.85 0.13 0.84 0.13 0.1 0.01 0 0.05 0.01

2.7 58 11 15 0.29 0.01 19 0.74 1.90 0.28 1.55 0.71 0.27 1.10 0.21 1.54 0.36 1.01 0.15 1.01 0.16 0.42 0.03 1.19 0.17 0.07
2 39 8 19
6.2 96 20 33 0.59 0.01 13 2.15 5.19 0.75 3.95 1.66 0.66 2.38 0.47 3.35 0.75 2.28 0.33 2.13 0.35 1.05 0.05 1.36 0.55 0.24
2.8 83 17 29 0.43 0.02 22 1.54 3.78 0.58 3.18 1.36 0.56 1.96 0.40 2.85 0.64 1.88 0.29 1.83 0.30 0.88 0.04 1 0.36 0.17
5.8 85 18 37 0.98 0.04 13 1.66 4.06 0.64 3.57 1.54 0.67 2.25 0.45 3.18 0.58 1.92 0.28 1.79 0.29 0.98 0.07 2.05 0.18 0.37
5 42 11 25 0.33 0.06 6 0.73 1.55 0.22 1.30 0.62 0.29 1.13 0.25 1.82 0.44 1.32 0.2 1.31 0.22 0.41 0.02 1.49 0.21 0.12
1 21 4 21 0.58 0.01 3 1.19 2.18 0.24 0.93 0.27 0.10 0.34 0.07 0.56 0.14 0.44 0.08 0.55 0.10 0.25 0.05 0.26 0.42 0.25
nd 66 103 147 2.99 0 4 6.12 16.74 2.79 16.31 6.93 2.26 10.04 1.94 13.09 2.88 8.10 1.17 7.31 1.16 4.73 0.2 0.11 0.53 0.15
2 62 116 189 3.53 0 4 7.72 21.19 3.43 19.58 7.84 2.08 11.12 2.17 14.56 3.14 8.95 1.29 8.14 1.27 6.21 0.25 0.15 0.77 0.24
2 98 38 79 1.35 0.1 29 3.69 8.87 1.33 7.18 2.90 1.13 4.13 0.82 5.78 1.28 3.67 0.55 3.47 0.55 2.16 0.09 0.56 0.41 0.2
1 91 35 54 0.47 0.02 9 3.33 8.03 1.19 6.51 2.57 0.97 3.77 0.76 5.24 1.18 3.43 0.5 3.19 0.52 1.6 0.04 0.18 0.35 0.19
3 90 23 42 0.48 0.06 20 2.05 4.81 0.68 3.63 1.48 0.53 2.20 0.44 3.20 0.73 2.12 0.32 2.08 0.35 0.99 0.03 0.35 0.64 0.26
nd 76 18 38
1 39 50 56
1 54 57 53 0.96 0.01 9 4.11 9.62 1.34 7.17 2.87 0.80 4.03 0.82 5.73 1.31 3.79 0.58 3.73 0.61 1.93 0.06 0.24 1.2 0.52
3 91 19 38
8 80 20 44
(continued on next page)
188 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Table 1 (continued )
Sample Rock type SiO2 TiO2 Al2O3 FeOt MnO MgO CaO Na2O K2O P2O5 L.O.I SUM Sc V Cr Co Ni Cu Zn
number
Sheeted dike complex from the eastern part
108-Al-01 B.and. 56.24 0.82 15.34 12.03 0.17 5.03 8.03 1.65 0.15 0.05 1.69 101.18 438 76 57 37 249 58
109-Al-01 B.and. 53.89 0.76 15.41 12.75 0.17 5.82 7.65 1.45 0.19 0.05 2.5 100.65 482 61 61 29 47 54
110-Al-01 And. 57.18 1.21 15.31 12.52 0.14 3.97 8.63 1.97 0.13 0.07 0.43 101.56 41.9 432 36 50 21 21 33
111-Al-01 Bon. 54.21 0.29 13.59 8.91 0.16 9.38 8.72 1.33 0.11 0.01 3.57 100.29 268 353 50 108 85 73
112-Al-01 Bon. 57.36 0.28 12.34 8.67 0.16 8.48 7.02 3.75 0.17 0.02 1.33 99.57 51.5 140 306 44 72 6 58
116-Al-01 B.and. 55.92 0.48 16.25 10.34 0.17 5.09 4.39 4.42 0.17 0.04 2.13 99.44 44.2 269 28 52 26 112 64
117-Al-01 And. 58.92 0.82 14.41 11.39 0.17 4.13 4.06 2.47 0.73 0.09 2.72 99.92 322 22 54 14 39 99
118-Al-01 And. 57.2 0.75 14.43 11.05 0.17 4.04 10.3 0 0 0.08 3.63 101.61 427 28 57 13 26 59
119-Al-01 B.and. 56.76 0.8 14.38 11.71 0.19 5.95 3.65 0.89 1.15 0.08 4.86 100.41 43.2 455 24 61 13 18 89
120-Al-01 B.and. 54.85 0.94 14.53 13.46 0.14 6.82 3.64 1.7 0.14 0.07 3.68 99.98 513 36 72 25 88 44
122-Al-01 Dac. 65.57 0.76 13.33 9.45 0.12 2.86 2.28 3.07 0.22 0.11 2.66 100.44 30.8 25 8 41 5 52 109
125-Al-01 And. 57.68 0.98 14.05 12.9 0.16 4.87 3.62 2.16 0.18 0.06 3.32 99.98 509 24 69 13 177 76
126-Al-01 B.and. 56.61 0.92 14.54 12.39 0.13 5.56 4.56 0.91 0.48 0.08 3.86 100.06 568 22 65 14 30 54
Abbreviations: FeOt = total iron as FeO; L.O.I. = loss on ignition; Bas. = basalt; B.and. = basaltic andesite; Bon. = boninite; And. = andesite; Dac. =
dacite; Rhy. = rhyolite; pl. = pillow lava; ms. = massive lava; m.gb. = microgabbro.

phases include plagioclase, quartz, hornblende, and
clinopyroxene.
EMO sheeted dikes are rooted in gabbroic rocks. A
complete transition from isolated dikes crosscutting
gabbroic rocks into the overlying sheeted dike complex
can be traced in the field. The sheeted dikes are generally
subvertical to moderately dipping and are oriented
NNE–SSW, again indicating that spreading was directed
WNW-ESE. They vary from ∼ 1 m up to ∼ 7-m-wide,
with average dike width of ∼ 2 m. Dike margins are
commonly marked by extensive networks of epidote and
quartz veins. Crosscutting relations suggest that the early
basaltic dikes were intruded by basaltic andesite,
andesite, dacite, and quartz diorite-dacite dike swarms,
which are in turn cut by andesitic, quartz-microdioritic,
and boninitic dikes (Dilek et al., 2007).
4. Petrography
About 100 thin sections have been studied for the
petrographic characterization of various volcanic and
dike rocks. For the classification of these rocks, we used
the following geochemical criteria, mainly after LeBas
(2000): Basalt (b52 wt.% SiO2); basaltic andesite
(N52 wt.% and b 57 wt.% SiO2); boninite (N 52 wt.%
SiO2, N8 wt.% MgO, b 0.5 wt.% TiO2); andesite
(N57 wt.% and b 63 wt.% SiO2); dacite (N 63 wt.%
and b70 wt.% SiO2); rhyolite (N 70 wt.% SiO2).
Basalts comprise nearly all of the extrusive rocks of the
WMP and the WSP as well as some dikes in the WMO, but
are rare in the lava succession of the EMP and the sheeted
dike complex of the EMO. WMP pillow basalts and WMO
basaltic dikes are predominantly aphyric or slightly phyric
(∼90% contain b 2% phenocrysts), whereas the WSP
pillow basalts vary from moderately to highly plagioclase-
phyric (2–10% and N 10% phenocrysts, respectively). The
glassy rim of the basaltic pillows shows a variolitic texture,
which grades inwards into plumose to branching quench
textures, and the rock eventually becomes fully crystalline
(plagioclase, clinopyroxene and Fe-oxides) with an
equigranular texture in the centers of pillows. Equigranular
texture is typical of the massive flows. In the porphyritic
samples, plagioclase and clinopyroxene are the dominant
phenocrysts (50–70% and 30–50%, respectively), and
olivine pseudomorphs rarely occur. The sequence of
crystallization in these rocks is: olivine–plagioclase–
clinopyroxene. The phenocrysts may occur individually,
but more commonly plagioclase is glomeroporphyritic.
The basaltic lavas and dikes exhibit an incipient to
complete alteration. Thus, plagioclase in the lavas contains
variable amounts of smectite, whereas clinopyroxene and
Fe-oxides are variably altered to clay minerals/chlorite and
very fine-grained leucoxene, respectively.
Boninites have been found only in the EMO and occur
both in the lava pile and the dike complex. Of the 40 lava
samples and the 30 dike samples analyzed, boninites
comprise two and four samples, respectively. The two
lava samples are aphyric and vary from slightly to highly
altered. They are medium- (∼5%) to highly-amygdaloi-
dal (∼25%); the vesicle-filling minerals consist of quartz,
calcite, epidote, and chlorite. Two of the four dike
samples are aphyric, whereas the other two vary from
moderately-phyric (∼7% phenocrysts) to highly-phyric
(∼20% phenocrysts). Phenocrysts are clinopyroxene,
orthopyroxene, and plagioclase, appearing in the propor-
tions of 60%, 30% and 10%, respectively.
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 189

Table 1 (continued )
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta Pb Th U

1 80 22 44
2 93 21 42
1 94 28 60 0.69 0.01 24 1.80 4.95 0.82 4.75 2.08 0.86 3.16 0.63 4.42 0.96 2.80 0.42 2.70 0.43 1.41 0.05 0.12 0.21 0.15
3 75 11 29
3 78 10 27 0.32 0.05 16 0.55 1.30 0.19 1.06 0.52 0.17 0.85 0.19 1.40 0.32 0.96 0.16 1.00 0.17 0.43 0.02 0.19 0.09 0.05
1 47 19 36 0.47 0.05 9 1.11 2.66 0.39 2.16 1.00 0.39 1.70 0.35 2.51 0.60 1.73 0.27 1.82 0.29 0.73 0.03 0.44 0.25 0.18
6 71 23 49
1 258 28 44
7 73 22 47 0.51 0.02 11 2.12 5.12 0.72 3.84 1.62 0.62 2.34 0.47 3.44 0.76 2.23 0.33 2.19 0.35 1.03 0.03 0.92 0.48 0.24
1 72 24 50
1 60 36 73 0.95 0.01 11 2.87 7.50 1.12 6.3 2.62 0.89 3.82 0.75 5.34 1.20 3.46 0.52 3.43 0.54 1.96 0.07 0.51 0.63 0.32
2 66 25 50
3 79 25 54

Basaltic andesites comprise ∼ 60% of the lavas and 5. Analytical techniques

∼ 35% of the dikes of the EMP. About 80% of the
basaltic andesites are aphyric, and the rest are slightly
(1–2%) phyric. Texturally, these rocks are similar to the
basalts (described above) and vary from slightly to
highly altered. Their groundmass consists of plagioclase
(variably altered to smectite and/or epidote in dikes),
amphibole (variably altered to chlorite), minor clinopyr-
oxene and Fe-oxides (variably altered to leucoxene),
and less commonly quartz. The phenocrysts are
clinopyroxene and plagioclase.
Andesites are common in both EMO lavas and dikes.
In the EMP lava sequence andesites occur from about
600 m above the base all the way to the top, and
constitute ∼ 30% of the sequence. This is also the
proportion in which they appear as dikes within the
EMO. Andesitic rocks in the sheeted dike complex are
aphyric, whereas those of the lava sequence vary from
predominantly aphyric/slightly phyric to highly porphy-
ritic. The groundmass is composed of plagioclase
(variably altered to smectite), quartz, colorless or pale
green amphibole, fine-grained Fe-oxide (variably al-
tered to leucoxene), zeolite and chlorite. The pheno-
crysts consist of plagioclase and clinopyroxene.
Dacites and rhyolites appear only in the EMO and
comprise ∼ 10% of the lava pile and the dike complex.
Dacitic to rhyolitic lavas and dikes occur as glassy to
holocrystalline rocks (Fig. 6). In some glassy samples
spherulitic texture is well developed. Both dacites and
rhyolites vary from aphyric to moderately phyric (∼5%),
with phenocrysts composed of plagioclase, quartz, green
amphibole, and clinopyroxene. The groundmass consists
predominantly of quartz and feldspar, and minor
brownish-green amphibole (as slender needles) and Fe-
oxide.
Major- and trace-element (V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb,
Sr, Y, Zr) analyses were performed on an X-ray
fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) at the University of
Bergen (Norway). The glass-bead technique of Padfield
and Gray (1971) was used for the major elements and
pressed-powder pellets for the trace elements, utilizing
international basalt standards and the recommended or
certified concentrations of Govindaraju (1994) for
calibration. Inductively-coupled plasma source mass
spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for analysis of Sc, Nb,
Cs, Ba, the REEs, Hf, Ta, U, Pb, Th and U. These
analyses were carried out at the Department of Geology,
Washington State University, USA. The analytical
procedure for the ICP-MS work has been described in
detail by Knaack et al. (1994).
The precision of our analyses is better than 2% for
most oxides and trace-elements, better than 10% for Ni,
Cr, Sc, and better than 18% for V and Cu (Johnson et al.,
1999). The statistics for a single sample (BCR-P) run
over a four-month period indicate that precision for the
lanthanides, Rb, Sr, Nb, and Hf is better than 2.5%. The
precision for Ta and Pb is better than 3.5% and better
than 10% for Th and U (Knaack et al., 1994).
Electron-microprobe analyses were carried out using
an ARL SEMQ at the University of Bergen (Norway),
employing standard wavelength dispersive techniques
(Reed, 1975), an accelerating voltage of 15 KV, and a
beam current of 10 nA. Well-characterized minerals,
synthetic oxides and pure metals were employed as
standards. Net peak intensities, corrected for dead-time
effects and beam-current drift as monitored from the
objective aperture, were reduced by MAGIC IV (Colby,
1968).
190 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
Sm and Nd isotopes were analyzed on a Finnegan 262,
mass-spectrometer at the University of Bergen (Norway).
All chemical processing was carried out in a clean-room
environment with HEPA filtered air supply and positive
pressure. The reagents were either purified in two-bottle
Teflon stills or passed through ion-exchange columns.
Samples were dissolved in a mixture of HF and HNO3.
REE were separated by specific extraction chromatogra-
phy using the method described by Pin et al. (1994). Sm
and Nd were subsequently separated using a low-pressure
ion-exchange chromatographic set-up with HDEHP-
coated Teflon powder as the ion-exchange resin (Richard
et al., 1976). Sm and Nd were loaded onto a double
filament and analysed in static mode. Nd isotopic ratios
were corrected for mass fractionation using 146Nd/144Nd
of 0.7219. Sm and Nd concentrations were determined
using a mixed 150Nd/149Sm spike. Repeated measure-
ments of the JM Nd-standard yielded an average
143
Nd/144Nd ratio of 0.511113 ± 15 (2σ) (n = 62). The
typical Nd blank level in the laboratory is 5 pg.
6. Geochemistry
In order to characterize the magmatic evolution of
the Mirdita Ophiolite, we analyzed 124 samples for major
and particular trace elements by XRF. Of these samples,
35 lavas (26 from the WMP) and four dikes are from the
WMO, and 41 lavas (24 from EMP) and 29 dikes are from
the EMO. In addition, we analyzed 15 plutonic rocks by
XRF (6 from the WMO and 9 from the EMO).
Furthermore, 48 samples were analyzed for REE and
other low-concentration trace elements by ICP-MS, and
71 samples for Sm–Nd isotopes. We present the major-
and trace-element analyses (XRF and ICP-MS) and the
Sm–Nd isotopic data of selected samples of lava, dike and
plutonic rock samples in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.
6.1. Alteration effects and element mobility
The mobility of a given element is a function of the
permeability of the rock, the extent of water-rock
interactions, and the elemental solubility under the
reaction conditions (Kelley and Delaney, 1987; Bickle
and Teagle, 1992). Studies on the behaviour of elements
during alteration and low-grade metamorphism of
basaltic to felsic rocks have demonstrated that some
elements remain relatively stable, whereas others are
lost or enriched relative to the concentration of the
original rock (e.g. Cann, 1970; Coish, 1977; Humphris
and Thompson, 1978). The studies of Nicollet and
Andribololona (1980) and Weaver and Tarney (1981) on
the element mobility of basaltic rocks show that even at
amphibolite facies metamorphism the elements Ni, Cr,
Co, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ti, V, Nb, P and the middle to
heavy REEs are affected insignificantly. Furthermore,
Baker (1985) concluded from the studies of felsic rocks
that Ti, Al, P and Y are immobile elements, whereas Na,
Si, Mg, Ni and Zn show enrichment and Fe, Mn, K, Sc,
Rb, Cs, Ba, Pb and REEs are leached. Loss of REE's
does not change, however, the shape of the REE patterns
significantly (Baker, 1985).
The rocks of the Mirdita Ophiolite underwent up to
lower greenschist facies metamorphism. From the
petrographic studies of the geochemically analysed
samples it is evident that the rocks have undergone
variable degrees of alteration. This is also reflected in the
loss-of-ignition (L.O.I; anticipated to consist mainly of
H2O) of the samples (Table 1) that may reach values as
high as 14 wt.%, and can be regarded as highly altered.
However, the majority (∼75%) of the samples have L.O.I
contents b 4 wt.%, thus giving an indication of only little
to moderate alteration. We plotted all the elements
versus L.O.I (of Table 1) but did not find any correlation
that might indicate enrichment or depletion with variable
L.O.I. Thus, on this basis, combined with the results of the
studies by other researchers as mentioned above, we have
concluded that element mobility during alteration and
metamorphism did not change original element concen-
trations in our samples to any significant extent.
6.2. Major and trace element characteristics
Fig. 7 shows a SiO2–FeOt /MgO plot of the lavas and
dikes of the Mirdita Ophiolite. All the WMO dikes and
lavas plot in the tholeiitic field, but the EMO dikes and
lavas straddle the tholeiitic–calc–alkaline boundary.
Most of the dikes and lavas in the WMO have a narrow
range of SiO2 (47–50 wt%), whereas those in the EMO
have a much wider range of SiO2 (52–70 wt%) (Fig. 7).
Nearly 60% of the WMO basalts are Fe–Ti basalts using
the criteria of FeOt/MgO N 1.75 and TiO2 b 2 wt.%
(Melson et al., 1976; Sinton et al., 1983).
The geochemical evolution of the lava and dike rocks
of the WMO and EMO display pronounced differences,
as demonstrated by the Bowen diagrams (Fig. 8). The
WMO rocks show positive correlations between MgO
and Al2O3, CaO, Cr and Ni contents, and a negative
correlation between MgO and FeOt, TiO2, P2O5, Y and
Zr contents. The EMO lavas and dikes show different
relations from those of the WMO. In the MgO vs Al2O3
diagram, the EMO samples define a positive correlation
up to ca. 6 wt.% MgO and a negative correlation
thereafter, signifying fractionation of plagioclase. With
respect to MgO vs FeOt , similar relations exist for the
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 191
Table 2
Nd-isotope analyses of selected samples of lavas, dikes and plutonic rocks of the Mirdita Ophiolite
Sample number Rock type Sm Nd 143
Nd/144Nd 2SE 145
Nd/144Nd 147
Sm/144Nd ɛNd(T) T = 160Ma
Lava flows of the western main profile
4-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 2.23 4.91 0.513081 0.000006 0.348404 0.274 6.89
5-Al-00 B.and.pl.lava 1.24 3.05 0.513035 0.000008 0.348404 0.246 6.56
62a-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 5.22 14.13 0.513041 0.000006 0.348396 0.223 7.15
44-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 3.44 8.54 0.513059 0.000006 0.348399 0.244 7.07
61-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 5.97 16.15 0.513025 0.000007 0.348397 0.223 6.84
58-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 6.05 16.39 0.513022 0.000007 0.348398 0.223 6.78
42-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 6 16.26 0.513024 0.000006 0.348394 0.223 6.82
48-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 5.97 16.13 0.513019 0.000008 0.348401 0.224 6.7
45-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 5.97 16.24 0.513014 0.000009 0.348397 0.222 6.64
41-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 6.04 16.4 0.51302 0.000007 0.348396 0.223 6.74
38-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 3.53 8.66 0.513067 0.000007 0.348398 0.246 7.19
35-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 3.41 8.43 0.513055 0.000008 0.348403 0.244 7
32-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 3.53 8.66 0.513067 0.000007 0.348397 0.247 7.17
31-Al-01 Bas.ms.lava 4.6 12.16 0.513065 0.000007 0.348396 0.229 7.5
25-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 8.22 25.18 0.51303 0.000006 0.348395 0.197 7.47
36-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 4.39 11.54 0.513059 0.000006 0.348399 0.23 7.36
20-Al-01 Bas.ms.lava 4.39 11.72 0.513048 0.000006 0.3484 0.227 7.21
17-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 4.86 13.28 0.513042 0.000008 0.348399 0.221 7.21
2-Al-00 Bas.pl.lava 5.46 15.09 0.513044 0.000006 0.348397 0.219 7.29

Lava flows of the eastern main profile

31-Al-00 And.ms.lava 0.93 2.96 0.512801 0.000007 0.348407 0.19 3.14
63-Al-01 B.and.ms.lava 0.74 1.97 0.512959 0.000007 0.34841 0.226 5.48
64-Al-01 Bas.pl.lava 1.66 3.92 0.51305 0.000007 0.348404 0.257 6.65
29-Al-00 And.ms.lava 0.98 2.47 0.512956 0.000007 0.348408 0.239 5.17
65-Al-01 B.and.ms.lava 0.71 1.75 0.512972 0.000007 0.348413 0.247 5.32
28-Al-00 B.and.ms.lava 1.93 4.67 0.513044 0.000006 0.348403 0.25 6.66
25-Al-00 And./B.and.ms.lava 1.1 2.76 0.512996 0.000008 0.348402 0.241 5.91
66-Al-01 And.ms.lava 1.03 2.61 0.512965 0.000007 0.348404 0.238 5.37
68-Al-01 B.and.ms.lava 1.22 2.83 0.513045 0.000007 0.348404 0.261 6.45
69-Al-01 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 1.19 2.82 0.51304 0.00001 0.348403 0.254 6.49
23-Al-00 B.and.ms.lava 1.43 3.41 0.51306 0.000012 0.348402 0.253 6.91
70-Al-01 And./B.and.pl.lava 0.78 1.94 0.513035 0.000006 0.348401 0.243 6.61
72-Al-01 Dac./And.pl.lava 1.12 2.96 0.513021 0.000007 0.348403 0.229 6.65
17-Al-00 B.and.ms.lava 1.48 3.56 0.513045 0.000006 0.348401 0.251 6.66
16-Al-00 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 0.91 2.21 0.513034 0.000008 0.34841 0.249 6.48
13-Al-00 B.and./Bon.pl.lava 0.92 2.21 0.513026 0.000007 0.348407 0.251 6.29
73-Al-01 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 0.94 2.28 0.513034 0.000007 0.348407 0.248 6.51
74-Al-01 B.and./Bas.pl.lava 1.42 3.38 0.51305 0.000007 0.348403 0.254 6.71
11-Al-00 B.and.pl.lava 1.03 2.57 0.513031 0.000011 0.348405 0.243 6.55

Lava flows from the eastern part

52-Al-00 Bon./Bas.pl.lava 1.11 2.67 0.513046 0.000008 0.348409 0.251 6.68
60-Al-00 Dac.breccia 2.91 8 0.512866 0.000006 0.348399 0.22 3.8
65-Al-00 Rhy./Dac.ms.lava 3.08 8.76 0.512853 0.000006 0.3484 0.213 3.69

Dikes from the western part

35-Al-00 Bas. 5.1 13.6 0.513052 0.000006 0.348402 0.227 7.28
70-Al-00 Bas. 1.7 3.17 0.513193 0.000006 0.348402 0.325 8.03
62-Al-01 Bas. 5.92 16.1 0.513027 0.000006 0.348397 0.223 6.88
55-Al-01 Bas. 1.26 2.36 0.513172 0.000007 0.348409 0.323 7.67

Dikes from the eastern part

87-Al-00 Bas. 0.32 0.79 0.512644 0.00001 0.348415 0.246 − 1.07
78-Al-00 Bon./Bas. 0.25 1 0.512398 0.000009 0.34841 0.152 − 3.95
48-Al-00 And. 6.64 17.61 0.513016 0.000006 0.3484 0.228 6.56
55-Al-00 And. 2.79 7.95 0.512985 0.000006 0.348398 0.212 6.28
(continued on next page)
192 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Table 2 (continued )
Sample number Rock type Sm Nd 143
Nd/144Nd 2SE 145
Nd/144Nd 147
Sm/144Nd ɛNd(T) T = 160Ma
Dikes from the eastern part
72-Al-00 And. 2.52 7.13 0.512948 0.000006 0.348401 0.213 5.54
80-Al-00 Rhy. 2.71 7.57 0.512849 0.000006 0.348397 0.216 3.55
67-Al-01 B.and./Bas. 1.22 2.85 0.513057 0.000006 0.348401 0.259 6.74
71-Al-01 Bas. 1.45 3.46 0.513043 0.000006 0.348405 0.254 6.57

Sheeted dikes from the eastern part

108-Al-01 B.and. 1.51 3.97 0.512922 0.000006 0.3484 0.229 4.7
109-Al-01 B.and. 1.32 3.44 0.512906 0.000007 0.348506 0.232 4.33
110-Al-01 And. 2.06 5.27 0.513005 0.000007 0.3484 0.236 6.18
111-Al-01 Bon. 0.57 1.4 0.512906 0.000009 0.348409 0.244 4.09
112-Al-01 Bon. 0.48 1.13 0.51299 0.000009 0.348414 0.258 5.44
116-Al-01 B.and. 1.02 2.5 0.512916 0.000007 0.348405 0.247 4.22
117-Al-01 And. 1.61 4.42 0.512883 0.000007 0.348402 0.221 4.11
118-Al-01 And. 1.65 4.3 0.51292 0.000007 0.348403 0.233 4.6
119-Al-01 B.and. 1.56 4.26 0.512875 0.000007 0.348404 0.221 3.97
120-Al-01 B.and. 1.73 4.43 0.512983 0.000006 0.348399 0.236 5.75
122-Al-01 Dac. 2.62 7.07 0.512937 0.000006 0.348402 0.224 5.11
125-Al-01 And. 1.74 4.57 0.512909 0.000007 0.348405 0.231 4.41
126-Al-01 B.and. 5.43 15.54 0.513103 0.000006 0.3484 0.211 8.61

Plutonic rocks from the western part

1-Al-00 Gabbro 0.75 1.84 0.513089 0.000006 0.348407 0.247 7.6
41-Al-00 Gabbro 5.34 16.04 0.513035 0.000006 0.348399 0.201 7.48
69-Al-00 Gabbro 1.73 4.1 0.513098 0.000006 0.348399 0.255 7.61

Plutonic rocks from the eastern part

73-Al-00 Q.diorite 1.83 5.09 0.512847 0.000007 0.348401 0.217 3.49
92-Al-00 Q.diorite 1.23 2.59 0.512928 0.000005 0.348404 0.288 3.62
86-Al-00 Gabbro 0.25 0.62 0.51262 0.000011 0.348422 0.24 − 1.41
Abbreviations are as in Table 1.

EMO lavas, whereas the EMO dikes show no correlation
at all. In the MgO vs CaO diagram, the EMO lavas define
a poor positive relationship, and at a given MgO value
their CaO contents are significantly lower than those of
the WMO. However, EMO dikes show no correlation in
the MgO vs. CaO diagram. In the MgO vs. TiO2 diagram,
the EMO lavas define a flat array with decreasing MgO
contents, whereas the dikes show an increase in the TiO2
and occupy (in particular the andesite dikes) an
intermediate position between the EMO and WMO
lavas. In the MgO vs. Zr and Y diagrams, the data from
the EMO display a slight increase in Zr and Y with
decreasing MgO contents. Two of the andesite dikes
strongly diverge, however, from the rest of the EMO
dikes. Similarly, as with the lavas and the dikes of the
WMO, those of the EMO show positive MgO vs. Ni and
MgO vs. Cr correlations. At a given MgO content, the Ni
and Cr contents of the EMO lavas and dikes are lower
than those of the WMO.
The N-MORB-normalized geochemical patterns of
WMO and EMO lavas and dikes are shown in Figs. 9
and 10, respectively. In addition to the incompatible
elements (i.e., Cs, Ba, Th, Ta, Nb, K, Pb, Sr, P, Zr, Hf,
Ti, Y, REE), the compatible elements Ca, Al, Mg, Mn,
V, Sc, Cr and Ni have been included in these diagrams.
The elements have been placed in order of their relative
incompatibility in a silicate melt in equilibrium with
fertile spinel-lherzolite mantle (Pearce and Parkinson,
1993), i.e. with Cs as the most incompatible and Ni as
the most compatible element.
In characterizing the normalized concentration pat-
terns, it is convenient to split the incompatible elements
into two groups. One group comprises elements of
mantle derivation (Ta, Nb, Zr, Hf, Ti, Y, and HREE).
The other group includes Cs, Ba, Th, U, and LREE that
are enriched in the mantle to variable degrees as a result
of fluid transfer from the subducted slab and sediments.
In the following, we refer to these two groups as mantle-
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 193

derived (MDE) and subduction-enriched elements
(SEE), respectively.
The normalized element patterns of the basaltic lavas
of the WMO are shown by three representative rock
samples, the least evolved (44-Al-00), the most evolved
(40-Al-00), and the average basalt sample (Fig. 9A).
Drawing a line through the MDE of the least evolved
sample defines a rather flat and then a slightly enriched
pattern from Lu through Zr, and a depleted pattern
relative to N-MORB from Zr through Ta. The SEE are
variably enriched above the MDE base-line. The pat-
tern of the most evolved sample is parallel to that of the
least evolved, and the difference in elemental concen-
trations can be ascribed to fractional crystallization.
The basaltic andesite lava (5-Al-00) that occurs in the
uppermost part of the WMO is depleted in MDE and
defines a flat pattern relative to N-MORB, although the
SEE show variable relative concentrations (Fig. 9A).
The basaltic WMO dikes display the same patterns as
the WMO lavas, but two of the samples (98-Al-11 and
98-Al-12) show an extreme enrichment in the Cs and
Ba (Fig. 9B).
The N-MORB normalized patterns of the EMO lavas
are shown in Fig. 10A. EMO MDE define flat, depleted
patterns relative to N-MORB. The andesites are most
depleted, whereas the dacite sample (YDKA99-8) is
the most enriched in MDE, defining a pattern similar to
N-MORB. The SEE are variably enriched, but Cs is
strongly enriched in all samples (Fig. 10A). The EMO
basaltic to dacitic/rhyolitic dikes show the same MDE
patterns as the EMO lavas, but they are more variably
enriched in the SEE (Fig. 10B).
6.3. Sm–Nd isotope characteristics
We analyzed 71 samples from the Mirdita Ophiolite for
Sm–Nd isotopes. Of these samples, 19 lava, 4 dike and 2
gabbro samples were from the WMO, and 22 lava sam-
ples, 21 dike, 1 gabbro, and 2 quartz diorite samples were
from the EMO (Table 2). WMO and EMO ɛNd(T = 160 Ma)
are shown as histograms in Fig. 11A. WMO ɛNd shows a
small range (mostly between +7.5 and +6.5), whereas the
EMO rocks display a larger range from +8.6 to −4,
mostly between +7 and +3.5. This suggests derivation of
WMO melts from isotopically homogeneous mantle
sources, whereas the large differences exhibited by the
EMO indicate rather heterogeneous mantle sources.
Fig. 11B shows ɛNd(T = 160 Ma) versus Sm/Nd for the
same rocks. The ɛNd(T = 160 Ma) of EMO lavas range from
+7 to +3 (basaltic andesites: +7 to +5; andesites: +7 to
+3; dacites/rhyolites: ca. +3.5), and the dikes from +8.5
to −4 (basaltic andesites: +8.6 to −1; andesites: +6.5 to
3.5; dacites/rhyolites: +5 to +3.5; boninites: +5.5 to −4).
There is a gap in EMO ɛNd(T = 160 Ma) between +3 and −1.
From Fig. 11B it appears that WMO magmas were
affected mainly by crystal fractionation and partial
melting processes as inferred from the limited range
in Sm/Nd, whereas the magmas of the EMO crustal

Fig. 7. Plot of SiO2 versus FeOt/MgO for lavas and dikes of the WMO and EMO. The boundary line between tholeiitic and calc-alkaline rock types is
from Miyashiro (1974). Some of the lava flows of the upper part of the volcanic sequence of the EMO contain quartz-bearing amygdales, and in some
of the samples (lavas and dikes of both WMO and EMO) there are thin quartz-filled fractures. We omitted these samples from the diagram.
194 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Fig. 8. Bowen diagrams showing the geochemical relationships between the lavas and dikes of the WMO and EMO. Values are in ppm for elements
and in wt.% for oxides.

rocks were also affected by various degrees of crustal
contamination.
6.4. Variations in chemo-stratigraphy
Fifty lava samples were collected through the two main
profiles (see Fig. 4 for location), representing typical
WMO (26 samples of basalts) and EMO (24 samples of
basalts/basaltic andesites, andesites and dacites) litholo-
gies. We refer to these two profiles, shown in Fig. 12, as
the WMP (western main profile) and EMP (eastern main
profile) in the following sections. Three elements, two
conservative incompatible (Zr and TiO2) and one com-
patible (Cr) element, together with the TiO2 contents of
pyroxenes and ɛNd(T = 160 Ma) are plotted in a stratigraphic
context in these profiles (Fig. 12).
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 195

Fig. 9. MORB-normalized multi-element diagrams of Western-type lavas (A), and dikes and sills (B) of the Mirdita Ophiolite. Normalizing values (in
ppm for elements and in wt.% for oxides) (after Pearce and Parkinson 1993) are: Cs (0.007), Rb (0.56), Ba (6.3), Th (0.12), U (0.047), Ta (0.13), Nb
(2.33), K (1079), La (2.5), Ce (7.5), Pb (0.3), Pr (1.32), Sr (90), P (314), Nd (7.3), Zr (74), Hf (2.05), Sm (2.63), Eu (1.02), Gd (3.68), Ti (7620), Tb
(0.67), Dy (4.55), Y (28), Ho (1.01), Er (2.97), Tm (0.456), Yb (3.05), Lu (0.455), CaO (12), Al2O3 (16), V (300), Sc (40), MnO (0.13), Co (40), MgO
(7.5), Cr (275), Ni (100).

From the bottom of the WMP upwards, we see
variations in Zr concentrations between 100 to 300 ppm
up to a stratigraphic height of 500 m. The Zr content
drops to 50 ppm further upward, and TiO2 shows similar
trends. The Cr profile largely mirrors the Zr variations
(Fig. 12). Compositional change towards the top of the
WMP is also reflected in clinopyroxene compositions,
which show a significant decrease in TiO2 contents. The
ɛNd(T = 160 Ma) values show only small variations through
the WMP, though the highest values (7.5) occur in the
lower 300 m of the profile.
Zr contents through the EMP are remarkably
constant (around 50 ppm), even though the lavas vary
from basaltic andesite to dacite, whereas the Cr content
shows large variations (Fig. 12). Pyroxene TiO2 content
is low (b0.3 wt.%) (Fig. 12). The ɛNd(T = 160 Ma) values
are around + 6.5 in the lower 800 m of the EMP, more
variable (+ 6.5 to + 5) between 800 and 1050 m, and
drop to ∼ +3 for the uppermost sample at 1100 m above
the base of the section (Fig. 12).
7. Discussion of geochemical and petrological evolution
7.1. Nature of the mantle source
In order to characterize the mantle sources of
the magmas that formed the upper crustal units of the
Mirdita Ophiolite, it is necessary to examine the con-
centrations of highly incompatible to compatible ele-
ments where the mantle contribution greatly exceeds
196 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

any kind of subduction-related contribution. Pearce and
Parkinson (1993) compiled bulk distribution coefficients
for such elements for melting of fertile spinel lherzolite.
Their results are as follows: Nb and Zr (very highly
incompatible, VHI), Ti, Y and Yb (highly incompatible,
HI), Ca, Al, Vand Sc (moderately incompatible, MI), Mn
and Fe (slightly compatible), Co and Mg (moderately
compatible, MC), and Cr and Ni (highly compatible,
HC). By normalizing primitive basalts against a fertile
MORB mantle (FMM), Pearce and Parkinson (1993)
showed patterns characteristic of mid-ocean ridge ba-
salts, ocean island basalts, and supra-subduction basalts,
reflecting melting and depletion or enrichment events in
the mantle.
We have applied this method to the boninites, basalts,
and basaltic andesites of the WMO and EMO, as shown in
Fig. 13A and B. The abundances of the VHI and HI
elements are in general higher for WMO basaltic lavas

Fig. 10. MORB-normalized multi-element diagrams of the eastern type lavas (A), and dikes and sills (B) of the MO. Normalizing values are given
in Fig. 9.
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 197

Fig. 10 (continued ).

and dikes than for EMO basaltic andesites. However, their
FMM-normalized patterns are similar (Fig. 13B), with
the exception of a boninitic dike (90-Al-00). Typically,
the patterns of the basalts and basaltic andesites have
the following incompatible element characteristics:
VHI b HI N MI, or VHI = HI N MI. According to Pearce
and Parkinson (1993), such patterns indicate moderate to
high degrees of melting of an un-enriched to slightly
depleted FMM source. Particularly, with respect to the
lavas and dikes of the WMO, the most comparable FMM-
normalized patterns are those of basaltic rocks from the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge and/or the Costa Rica Rift oceanic
crust, whereas those of the EMO are comparable to
the Tonga and/or the Marianas suprasubduction crust
(Fig. 13C). We emphasise, however, that the differences
between the patterns of the Rock/FMM normalized
198 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
Fig. 11. Histogram showing the distribution of ɛNd(T = 160 Ma) (A), and a plot of Sm/Nd — ɛNd (T = 160 Ma) (B) for the Mirdita Ophiolite.
diagrams of the Tonga, Marianas, Costa Rica Rift, and
Atlantic MORB are subtle. The boninite sample 90-Al-00
shows VHI N HI b MI, a pattern that indicates high degrees
of melting of a depleted source, but with enrichment
in the VHI elements. These considerations are in agree-
ment with estimates of the degree of partial melting by
Bortolotti et al. (2002). These authors concluded that
high-Ti, MORB-type basalts of the WMO were generated
by 10% partial melting of fertile MORB-type mantle,
whereas the low-Ti basalts and basaltic andesites of the
EMO represent the same degree of partial melting of a
mantle that was previously depleted by 7–17% melting.
7.2. Subduction influence
A hybrid mixture between MORB-like and arc-like
element signatures is characteristic of ophiolitic basalt
sequences (e.g., Pearce, 1980; Stern and Bloomer, 1992;
Shervais, 2001; Ishikawa et al., 2002; Dilek and Flower,
2003; Harris, 2003; Pe-Piper et al., 2004; Saccani and
Photiades, 2004; Dilek et al., 2007). This is generally
considered to reflect melting of a MORB mantle source
that has been contaminated with fluids released from the
subducting slab and/or sediment-derived melts. The
identification of this character in ophiolitic rocks thus
indicates generation above a subduction zone.
To investigate subduction influence on the magma
genesis of the most primitive lavas and dikes of the
Mirdita Ophiolite, we evaluated the element patterns
in MORB-normalized multi-element diagrams (Figs. 9
and 10). For this purpose, the elements are subdivided into
conservative and non-conservative types. The concentra-
tions of elements of the conservative type (Ta, Nb, Zr, Hf,
Ti, Tb, Dy, Y, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, V, Sc, Cr, Ni) are little
affected by subduction, whereas those of the non-
conservative type (Cs, Rb, Ba, Th, U, K, La, Ce, Pb, Pr,
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
Fig. 12. Relationships between various geochemical parameters and the stratigraphy of (A) the eastern main profile (EMP), and (B) the western main
profile (WMP).
Sr, P, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd) show various degrees of sub-
duction-zone contribution to the magma source (Pearce,
1983, Pearce and Peate, 1995). Following the method of
(Pearce 1983) and Pearce and Peate (1995), we estimate
the contribution to the source from a subduction zone by
drawing a baseline through the MORB-normalized,
conservative elements Ta, Nb, Zr, Hf, Ti, HREE and Y.
We have done this for the most primitive basalts and
basaltic andesites from the WMO and EMO, and the
results are shown in Fig. 14A and B. For the samples of
both the WMO and EMO, there is a general decrease in
the percentage subduction component for Cs (nearly
100%) through Gd (∼0%), i.e. from the most to the least
incompatible elements. In WMO samples, there are
pronounced variations in the Ba, K, and Pb concentra-
tions, a feature that is not seen in EMO samples with the
exception of Pb in sample YDKA99-9. This heterogene-
ity may be due to: (1) element mobility during alteration,
and/or (2) generation of melts from variably subduction-
influenced mantle domains. It is well known that Cs, Rb,
Ba, K, and Sr are mobile during seafloor alteration (e.g.,
199
Thompson, 1973; Coish, 1977; Staudigel and Hart, 1983).
However, if alteration was responsible for the Ba-, K-, and
Pb-variations in the WMO basalts (Fig. 14A), one might
expect the same phenomenon for the rocks of the EMO
(Fig. 14B) since they are equally altered. The EMO lavas
show a much more consistent pattern, and it is therefore
more likely that the Ba-, K-, and Pb-variations can be
mainly attributed to the generation of melts from a
heterogeneously subduction-influenced mantle.
Enrichment of the mantle in slab-derived non-
conservative elements is a complex process that may
include fluid release from subducted altered oceanic crust
and/or sediments, and from felsic magmas generated by
partial melting of sediments (Saunders et al., 1991; Pearce
and Parkinson, 1993; Pearce and Peate, 1995; Gribble
et al., 1996; Hawkesworth et al., 1997; Macdonald et al.,
2000; Elburg et al., 2002). The transport of incompatible
elements in hydrous fluids differs significantly, e.g. while
U and Ba are highly mobile, Th is less mobile (e.g.,
Hawkesworth et al., 1997), and thus fluids released from
subducted material and their interaction with mantle
200 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Fig. 13. FMM (fertile MORB mantle)-normalized patterns for (A) basalt and basaltic andesite lavas, and (B) Basalt, basaltic andesite and boninite
dikes of the WMO and EMO, (C) Basaltic lavas from Tonga, Marianas, Costa Rica Rift and Atlantic MORB oceanic crust. Normalizing values, taken
from Pearce and Parkinson (1993), are: Nb (0.2), Zr (9.2), TiO2 (0.175), Y (3.9), CaO (3.25), Al2O3 (3.75), V (78), Sc (15.5), MnO 0.13), FeOt (8.8),
Co (106), MgO (38.4), Cr (2500), Ni (2020). Oxides in wt.%, elements in ppm.

sources will result in high U/Th and Ba/Th in produced
magmas. At low Th concentrations, lavas and dikes of
both the WMO and EMO (in particular) show a large
spread in U/Th and Ba/Th (Fig. 14C and D), suggesting
that they were generated from a MORB-type mantle
source that was enriched in Ba and U, as well as in other
fluid-mobilized elements. However, Th contents that are
significantly higher than those of MORB, are restricted
to the andesites and rhyodacites of the EMO (Fig. 14C
and D), i.e. the stratigraphically highest volcanic rocks
(Fig. 4). Since Th is little mobilized in a fluid phase,
this enrichment has to be explained in a different way. A
generally high-Th source (up to ca. 20 ppm Th), compared
to the Th contents of MORB, is thought to be subducted
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209 201

Fig. 14. Subduction effect upon dikes and lavas of the Western and Eastern Mirdita Ophiolite. Diagrams A and B show calculated changes (in %) of
non-conservative elements due to subduction processes (see text for further explanation). Note the strong enrichment of the highly non-conservative
elements (Cs, Ba, K, Pb, Th, U, Sr) compared to that of the moderate non-conservative elements (P, La, Ce, Pr, Nd) and the slightly non-conservative
elements (Sm, Eu, Gd). Diagrams C and D show that the majority of the samples from the WMO are close to MORB compositions with respect to U/
Th–Th and Ba/Th–Th relationships. High Th and U/Th and Ba/Th ratios in some of the samples from the EMO indicate sediment and fluid
incorporation (see text for further explanation).

sediments (Plank and Langmuir, 1998). Thus, the high Th
values of the andesitic and rhyodacitic rocks are
compatible with magmas derived from a source that has
been enriched in Th by melts derived from subducted
sediments.
7.3. Magma evolution in time and space: petrogenetic
model
Based on our geochemical data and interpretations
and our well-constrained chemostratigraphy of WMO
and EMO extrusive sequences, we propose a new
petrogenetic model in which subduction was important
for the magmatic evolution of the Mirdita Ophiolite
(Fig. 15). This model differs from previous interpreta-
tions (Robertson and Shallo, 2000; Bortolotti et al.,
2002; Dilek and Flower, 2003; Flower and Dilek, 2003;
Bortolotti et al., 2005) in which the MORB-type lavas
and dikes of the WMO are attributed to an earlier phase
of oceanic spreading, whereas the heterogeneous
igneous sequence of the EMO and its dominant IAT-
character have been interpreted to have resulted from
subsequent intra-oceanic subduction zone magmatism.
In our model, the WMO and EMO developed through a
progressive evolution of MORB to IAT to boninitic
magmas above a west-dipping subduction zone, which
experienced rapid slab retreat during and after its
initiation (Fig. 15 A, B). Slab rollback exceeding the
convergence rates resulted in upper plate extension
(Dilek and Flower, 2003; Garfunkel, 2006) that caused
spreading with a well-developed sheeted dike complex
in the EMO (Fig. 15C, D). During the evolution of
the WMO and EMO, melt generation, aggregation/
mixing, and differentiation probably occurred in multi-
ple levels in the subarc/forearc mantle, and pressure
ranges of aggregation/mixing and differentiation might
202 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209

Fig. 15. Summary of the magmatic development in time and space of the Mirdita Ophiolite (trench-slab rollback model adapted from Stern and
Bloomer, 1992; Dilek et al., 2005).

have overlapped (Fig. 15D). Thus, aggregation of
melts may have involved melt production and subse-
quent modification, similar to the model suggested by
Grove et al. (1992). The return mantle flow facilitated by
retrograde slab motion and the arc-wedge corner flow
played a major role in the evolution of the melting
column above the subducting slab (Kincaid and Hall,
2003). Late-stage boninitic magmas in the Mirdita
Ophiolite were produced from partial melting of rela-
tively hot, hydrous and repeatedly depleted, ultra-
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
refractory peridotite in the rapidly evolving suprasub-
duction mantle wedge (Fig. 15D).
The FMM-normalized patterns (defined by the
incompatible to compatible conservative elements Nb
through Ni) of the lavas and dikes of the WMO and
EMO (Fig. 13) indicate melting from a rather homoge-
neous source region with respect to the conservative
elements. Furthermore, the high abundance of the most
non-conservative elements (e.g. Cs, Ba, K, Pb, Th, U, P,
La) suggests that the mantle source from which the lavas
of the WMO and EMO were generated had been
enriched in these elements through subduction process-
es (Fig. 14A and B). The variable enrichment patterns
throughout the WMP lava sequence (Fig. 14A) point to
a slightly, but heterogeneously enriched mantle wedge
in which melting occurred. On the other hand, the
consistent enrichment of non-conservative elements in
the EMP lavas indicates that the mantle from which
these lavas were generated was homogeneously
enriched. The relationships between the fluid-mobilized
elements Ba and U and the less-fluid-mobilized element
Th suggest that the mantle source experienced enrich-
ment of highly-mobile elements at or prior to the time of
WMO melt extraction, as shown by some samples with
higher U/Th and Ba/Th than MORB (Fig. 14C and D).
Andesitic and dacitic/rhyolitic lavas and dikes of the
EMO show relatively large Th variations and generally
higher concentrations than in the more mafic rocks
(Fig. 14C and D). Since rocks of more felsic composi-
tions occur at a higher stratigraphic level of the EMP
(Fig. 12), the Th-enrichment of the source region can be
considered as a relatively late phenomenon, related to
melting of sediments on the subducting slab.
Up to a stratigraphic level of ca. 500 m above the base
of the WMP lavas, Zr contents vary principally between
100–200 ppm. Higher in the section lavas become
transitional between basaltic and basaltic andesite, and
Zr contents decrease to about 50 ppm. Throughout the
formation of the EMP lavas, particularly in the lower
800 m, basaltic andesites dominate with Zr contents
varying approximately between 30 to 50 ppm (Fig. 12).
Similar trends can also be observed for the TiO2-contents
of clinopyroxenes (Fig. 12). The pronounced decrease in
the Zr content may indicate that repeated melting depleted
the mantle source in incompatible trace elements.
Alternatively, increased degrees of partial melting
would also give lower contents of incompatible trace
elements. However, regardless of the relevant mantle
processes, an important feature demonstrated by these
patterns is the clear geochemical affinity between the
western and eastern parts of the ophiolite. A notable
feature of WMP chemostratigraphy is the change in the
203
geochemical character of the lavas in the upper 100 m of
the profile from typical “Western” type to typical
“Eastern” type, i.e. from MORB-like to IAT-like
(Figs. 9, 14 and 15). It is important to note that this
change occurs without any unconformity or other tectonic
or structural break. This relationship demonstrates that the
western and eastern geochemical affinities represent not
only a west-to-east transition, but also a stratigraphic,
vertical gradation into more subduction-influenced rocks.
This is further substantiated by the ɛNd data that show a
geochemical continuation from the upper part of the
WMP into the lower part of the EMP (Figs. 12 and 15).
This relationship further questions the previous
proposals that the subduction-related EMO magmatic
rocks were built upon an older MORB oceanic crust.
Such a model implies two fundamental relationships: (1)
the MORB-like lavas of the WMO are older than the
EMO lavas, and (2) there is a major hiatus between these
two lava sequences. However, neither of these two
features is supported by our field observations and
geochemical data. Indeed, radiometric ages of the
plagiogranite and quartz-diorite intrusions both in the
WMO and EMO show rather similar ages of 160 to
165 Ma (Dilek et al. 2001, 2007).
Pronounced compositional changes occur in the upper
300 m of the EMP. The composition of the lavas changes
from mainly basaltic andesites to predominantly ande-
sites. Contemporaneous with this compositional change,
we also observe pronounced isotopic changes such that
ɛNd decreases from +6.5 to +3 (Figs. 12 and 15).
The ɛNd values change significantly from west to the
east in the Mirdita Ophiolite (Figs. 11 and 12). The ɛNd
of the gabbros vary from + 7.6 in the west to − 1.4 in the
east. Similarly, the highest (+ 8) and the lowest (− 4) ɛNd
are registered in a basaltic dike crosscutting a WMO
gabbro and a boninite dike intruding an EMO gabbro,
respectively (Fig. 15). This shift in the ɛNd from + 8 in the
west to − 4 in the east and the documented changes in the
chemical compositions of the rocks from more basaltic to
more evolved and felsic types stratigraphically upward
and toward the east suggest that subduction influenced
magmatism shifted generally eastward in time. This is
consistent with our petrogenetic model in that arc-
protoarc magmatism in the upper plate of the subduction
zone migrated eastward keeping pace with the slab
rollback (Fig. 15). However, the presence of a low-Ti
basaltic dike (sample 55-Al-01) (Table 1) in the WMO
and a basaltic andesite dike (sample 126-Al-01) within
the EMO sheeted dike complex showing high ɛNd
(+ 8.61) (Table 2), typical of the WMO rocks, suggests
that both the WMO and EMO evolved within the same
tectonic environment (i.e. an arc-protoarc setting).
 204
Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
Fig. 16. (A) The inferred paleogeography of the western end of Neo-Tethys and the continental reconstruction of Western Gondwana and Laurasia around 200 Ma (modified from Stampfli and Borel,
2004). The Pindos Ocean is one of several marginal basins developed between Gondwana-derived continental fragments following the Permo–Triassic rifting. (B) Collapse of the Pindos and Vardar
basins through intra-oceanic subduction around 170 Ma. Consumption of the pre-existing ocean floor and slab retreat associated with these subduction zones produced the Jurassic suprasubduction zone
oceanic crust now preserved in the Mirdita and Western Hellenic ophiolites and in the Vardar Zone ophiolites. X–Y show the cross-section line depicted in C. (C) Geodynamic cross-section across the
Neo-Tethyan marginal basins, continental fragments, and the bounding supercontinents during the Jurassic (170–160 Ma). The Southern Neo-Tethys and the Alpine Tethys are opening up at this stage,
as the Pindos and Vardar basins are collapsing. Ophiolite emplacement onto the Pelagonian continent in the Late Jurassic was followed by the collision of Apulia and Pelagonia in the Eocene. Key to
lettering for different continents: Afr — Africa, Ap — Apulia, Eur — Eurasia, Pel — Pelagonia.
 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
8. Geodynamic model
The suprasubduction zone signatures in the Mirdita
Ophiolite require an intra-oceanic subduction zone
within the Neo-Tethyan basin in which the Jurassic
ophiolites of the Albanides and the western Hellenides
formed. We suggest that this was the Pindos marginal
basin, which evolved between the Apulia (and its
eastward extension into Turkey, the Tauride platform)
and the Pelagonia subcontinents in the western termina-
tion of the larger Neo-Tethyan ocean (Fig. 16A). Recent
paleogeographic reconstructions of the Tethyan system
suggest that there were a series of marginal basins that
opened up as back-arc basins during the closure of Paleo-
Tethys in the Permo-Triassic (Stampfli et al., 2001;
Stampfli and Borel, 2004). Some researchers suggest
that the Mirdita and other Albanian ophiolites and the
Western Hellenic ophiolites (i.e., Pindos, Vourinos,
Othris) were derived from the Vardar basin east of
Pelagonia (Collaku et al., 1992; Bortolotti et al., 1996,
2002, 2005). We find these models incompatible with the
regional geological constraints, as discussed in detail
elsewhere (Dilek et al., 2007).
The Pindos basin was floored with Triassic oceanic
crust prior to its collapse in the Middle Jurassic. A
Triassic–Jurassic volcanosedimentary unit is discontinu-
ously exposed along the Apulian and Korabi-Pelagonian
continental margins and contains Middle-Upper Triassic
alkaline basalt and radiolarian cherts (Shallo, 1992;
Marcucci et al., 1994; Chiari et al., 1994; Dilek et al.
2005). Widespread Middle Triassic volcanism associated
with the Apulia–Pelagonia rifting and the subsequent
seafloor spreading in the Pindos basin should have created
a Red Sea-type restricted basin with its conjugate passive
margins preserved structurally beneath the thrust sheets of
the Mirdita and other Albanian ophiolites (Robertson and
Shallo, 2000; Dilek et al., 2005). This Pindos basin and
the Vardar basin to the north (in present coordinate
system) started collapsing via intra-oceanic subduction
because of a regional compressional stress regime caused
by the continental collisions that occurred farther north in
the European side of Laurasia (i.e. the Sakarya collision;
Fig. 16B). Thus, the closing Pindos and Vardar basins
marked a “zone of contraction” within the western end of
the Neo-Tethys, while the Alpine Tethys and the Southern
Neo-Tethys were experiencing seafloor spreading around
170–160 Ma (Fig. 16C).
The polarity of the intra-oceanic subduction zone
within the Pindos basin was west-southwest-dipping (in
the present coordinate system) as constrained by our
chemostratigraphic and isotopic data from the extrusive
sequences and the observed variations in the chemical
205
compositions of different dike generations. The docu-
mented geochemical and age progression of the MORB-
IAT-boninitic magmatism in the Mirdita Ophiolite is an
artifact of subduction zone magmatism that propagated
eastward in time, keeping pace with the trench-slab
rollback in this direction.
The inferred suprasubduction evolution and the
tectonomagmatic development of the Neo-Tethyan
ophiolites in the eastern Mediterranean region indicate
that the restricted marginal basins in which these
ophiolites had formed were nested in older, pre-existing
ocean basins (Dilek et al., 2005; Garfunkel, 2006; Dilek
et al., 2007). The collapse of these older basins and the
consumption of their ocean floor gave way to ophiolite
development in relatively short time spans (b10 my). The
crust of older ocean basins was probably recycled back
into the mantle without any surficial trace of it, as has been
the case for most mid-ocean ridge generated oceanic crust
throughout the Phanerozoic (Cloos, 1993). The trench-
slab rollback cycles and the arc-protoarc magmatism were
arrested by trench-continent collisions, effectively termi-
nating the igneous accretion of ophiolites and resulting in
their emplacement. The arrival of the Pelagonian passive
margin at the Pindos trench marked the end of the igneous
evolution of the Mirdita Ophiolite in the Late Jurassic.
9. Conclusions
The Jurassic Mirdita Ophiolite in northern Albania
had a progressive geochemical evolution in a suprasub-
duction zone setting within a Tethyan marginal basin.
The spatial, temporal and geochemical relations between
the extrusive and dike rocks of the western and eastern
parts of the ophiolite show that the shift from MORB to
SSZ affinities, respectively, is both lateral and strati-
graphic (vertical), indicating changes in the melt com-
positions and mantle sources through time. Both the
MORB and SSZ components of the Mirdita Ophiolite
were produced in the same protoarc-forearc tectonic
environment.
In the ∼650-m-thick extrusive sequence of the WMO,
the basaltic pillow lavas in the lower 300 m have high
TiO2 (3.5–1.5%) and Zr contents and high ɛNd values
(+8–+7.5) with no discernible subduction influence.
Stratigraphically upwards the basaltic lavas transition into
basaltic andesites, which acquire lower TiO2 (2.5–0.5%)
and Zr contents and lower ɛNd values (+7 to +6.5)
suggesting appearance of subduction influence in their
melt evolution. The small range of the ɛNd values of these
lavas and dikes in the WMO indicates derivation of their
magmas from isotopically homogeneous MORB mantle
sources.
206 Y. Dilek et al. / Lithos 100 (2008) 174–209
The nearly 1.1-km-thick extrusive sequence of the
EMO contains mostly pillowed basaltic andesites within
the lower 700 m. The upper 400 m of the sequence
consist predominantly of massive flows with minor
pillow lavas and pillow breccias with compositions
changing from basaltic andesite, to andesite, dacite, and
boninite. The basaltic andesites in the lower 700 m have
low Ti (∼0.5) and Zr contents with ɛNd (+ 7 to + 6.5)
similar to those of the WMO lavas. These rocks show a
weak subduction influence displayed by their variable
enrichment in certain incompatible elements (Cs, Ba,
Th, U, LREE). The basaltic andesites, dacites and
boninites within the upper 400 m have low Ti and ɛNd
(+ 6.5 to + 3.0) and high Th contents (up to 1.2 ppm),
suggesting a strong subduction influence. The low Zr
contents of the lavas remain constant (∼ 50 ppm)
whereas the Cr contents show large variations through-
out the EMO extrusive sequence. The high Th contents
of more evolved lavas in the upper volcanic sequence
indicate a mantle source that was enriched in Th by
melts derived from subducted sediments. The generally
high Ba, K, and Pb contents of these rocks also suggest
magma generation from a homogeneously subduction-
influenced mantle. Boninitic dikes and gabbroic intru-
sions in the EMO with negative ɛNd (− 1.4 and − 4.0,
respectively) were produced from partial melting of
repeatedly depleted, ultra-refractory harzburgitic peri-
dotites in the mantle wedge.
The geochemical progression from MORB basalts
with high ɛNd (+ 8.0) in the west to more evolved rocks
showing negative ɛNd (− 4.0) in the east in the Mirdita
Ophiolite and stratigraphically upwards within the EMO
extrusive sequence was a result of an eastward shift in
the protoarc-forearc magmatism. Slab rollback was
responsible for this inferred eastward propagation of
subduction zone magmatism and for rapid extension in
the upper plate that resulted in the development of the
EMO sheeted dike complex. These features, combined
with a relatively higher level of Th-enrichment of the
source mantle due to melting of sediments on the
subducting slab, indicate westward dipping (in the
present coordinate system) subduction with an east-
facing infant intra-oceanic arc system.
The Mirdita Ophiolite and its counterparts in the
western Hellenides of Greece developed in a marginal
basin (Pindos basin) between Apulia and Pelagonia. The
SSZ evolution of these ophiolites occurred during the
closing stages of the Pindos basin, which had a protracted
geodynamic history involving initial continental rifting,
seafloor spreading, protoarc rifting, and trench–continent
collision. Emplacement of the Mirdita and the Western
Hellenic ophiolites onto the Pelagonian passive margin in
the Late Jurassic marked the end of igneous accretion of
SSZ oceanic crust in the Pindos basin and the beginning of
the closure of this marginal basin in the western
termination of the Mesozoic Neo-Tethys.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by a NATO Science Program
research grant (EST.CLG-97617) and the Miami Univer-
sity Committee on Faculty Research. We wish to thank the
directors of the Albanian Geological Survey (M. Zaçay
and H. Beshku) for their logistical support during our
fieldwork, and our Albanian colleagues (S. Bushati, E.
Gjani, A. Meshi, I. Milushi, and A. Vranaj) for providing
us with valuable information and discussions on the
geology of Albania. Constructive and thorough journal
reviews by Ron Harris, Brian Robins, Paul T. Robinson
and Robert J. Stern helped us improve the paper.
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