Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206

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Lithos
j o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w. e l s e v i e r. c o m / l o c a t e / l i t h o s

Structural architecture of the sheeted dike complex and extensional tectonics of the
Jurassic Mirdita ophiolite, Albania
Charity M. Phillips-Lander, Yildirim Dilek ⁎
Department of Geology, Shideler Hall, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The Jurassic Mirdita ophiolite in northern Albania occurs in a ∼ 40 km-wide zone bounded by the passive
Received 10 February 2008 margins of Apulia (W) and Pelagonia (E). The ∼ 3 km-thick Western Mirdita ophiolite (WMO) contains
Accepted 20 September 2008 lherzolitic peridotites and gabbros overlain by basaltic pillow lavas, whereas the ∼ 12 km-thick Eastern
Available online 25 October 2008
Mirdita ophiolite (EMO) represents a Penrose-type oceanic crust with suprasubduction zone affinities. The
1 km-thick sheeted dike complex (SDC) in the EMO shows mutually intrusive relations with the underlying
Keywords:
Suprasubduction zone ophiolites
gabbros, is overlain by a 1.1-km-thick extrusive sequence, and records a history of complex seafloor
Mirdita ophiolite (Albania) spreading and rift tectonics in a suprasubduction zone environment. Crosscutting relations within the SDC
Sheeted dike complex indicate four generations of dike intrusions becoming progressively younger to the east. Early D1 and D2
IAT magmatism dikes have basalt and basaltic andesite compositions and NNE and NNW attitudes, respectively, with
Boninitic dikes moderate to gentle dips to the east. They are cut by mineralized, dike-parallel normal faults defining local
Slab rollback and forearc extension grabens. Younger D3 dikes display andesitic and boninitic compositions and have WNW strikes with steep
dips. These dikes are cut by both dike-parallel and dike-orthogonal faults that form locally well-developed
graben structures with extensive epidosite and chalcopyrite mineralization. The youngest D4 dikes with
240°–290°orientations occur as isolated swarms intruding earlier dike generations in the eastern part of the
SDC, range in composition from quartz–microdiorite to rhyodacite and rhyolite, and are cut by ∼ NW-oriented
faults and shear zones. Changes in dike compositions from basalt and basaltic andesite to andesite, boninite,
rhyodacite and rhyolite through time in the SDC are consistent with changes in the lava chemistry
stratigraphically upward and eastward in the extrusive sequence, indicating significant chemical variations in
melt compositions as the EMO evolved. Development of the SDC and its extensive normal faulting were a
result of upper plate extension and rifting in the protoarc–forearc crust caused by rapid slab rollback in the
Mirdita basin, reminiscent of the late Cenozoic extensional tectonics of the Izu–Bonin–Mariana system in the
Western Pacific. Shifting of dike attitudes to more easterly orientations in later stages of SSZ magmatism
signals a gradual change in the spreading direction likely caused by impingement of the clockwise rotating
Pelagonia on the arc–trench rollback system in the south. The SSZ Mirdita basin evolved similarly to the last
100 km of recorded spreading in the West Philippine Basin, where the rotation of the seafloor spreading axis
was caused by the incipient collision between the northern part of the Philippine arc with rifted fragments of
Eurasia.
© 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction associated with magmatic plumbing (different dike generations and

Ophiolites have provided the basis for many of the hypotheses
regarding oceanic crust formation, since their recognition as pre-
served fragments of ancient oceanic lithosphere in the 1960s (Gass,
1968; Miyashiro, 1973; Coleman, 1977; Moores, 1982; Pearce et al.,
1984; Dilek et al., 1990; Robertson, 2002; Flower and Dilek, 2003;
Garfunkel, 2006; Dilek and Polat, 2008). Ophiolite exposures on land
provide a unique opportunity to observe the structural architecture of
oceanic crust in four dimensions, specifically spreading-related
tectonic structures (faults and shear zones) and those features
⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 513 529 2212; fax: +1 513 529 1542.
E-mail address: dileky@muohio.edu (Y. Dilek).
crosscutting relations) and hydrothermal alteration (veins and vein
systems) (Harper et al., 1988; Juteau et al., 1988; Dilek and Eddy, 1992;
Dilek et al., 1998). Although the ophiolite-oceanic crust analogy based
mainly on structural observations and the seismic velocity structure of
oceanic crust has increased our understanding of magmatic, tectonic,
and hydrothermal processes at seafloor spreading centers, modern
oceanic crust generated at mid-ocean ridges is geochemically quite
different from most ophiolites (Dilek, 2003, and references therein for
the historical background on this topic). While oceanic crust recovered
from modern mid-ocean ridges has MORB chemistry, most ophiolites
display silica oversaturated, low-Ti, low-Zr chemistry indicative of
suprasubduction zone (SSZ) origin (see Pearce, 2003, for related
discussions and history; Miyashiro, 1973; Shervais, 2001).

0024-4937/$ – see front matter © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.lithos.2008.09.014
 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206
It is widely believed nowadays that ophiolites have been devel-
oped or modified in extensional settings in suprasubduction zone
(SSZ) environments where the amount of spreading is controlled by
rates of subduction and slab rollback, while the magma supply rates
are controlled by local temperature profiles, the lithology of the
subducting crust and mantle wedge, and the abundance and nature of
fluids. Modern SSZ environments are difficult to examine in 4D
because of the limited access and sampling, although ODP studies of
the Izu–Bonin–Mariana (IBM) system in the Western Pacific has been
extremely productive and insightful to document the mode and
nature of extensional tectonics, igneous stratigraphy, and chemical
geodynamics in arc–forearc–trench rollback systems (Stern et al.,
1989; Arculus et al., 1992; Pearce et al., 1992; Taylor, 1992).
In this paper we present a detailed study of the internal structure of
the sheeted dike complex in the Eastern Mirdita ophiolite (EMO),
Albania (Fig. 1), in order to document the mode and nature of
extensional tectonics and associated magmatism during formation of
the Jurassic protoarc–forearc crust preserved in this ophiolite. We
describe the spatial and temporal distribution of different dike
generations and their geochemical variations, and discuss the signifi-
cance of the changes in dike orientations and chemistry through time
and space in light of the tectonic evolution of this ophiolite. We then
Fig. 1. Distribution of the Jurassic Tethyan ophiolites in the Balkan Peninsula. The
Mirdita ophiolite occurs in a NE-trending zone (north of Tirane) between the NW–SE-
running Dinaride and Hellenic ophiolites. Key to lettering: EMO — Eastern Mirdita
ophiolite, SPL — Shkodre–Peç lineament.
193
compare the construction of the EMO to the extensional tectonics of the
IBM and the West Philippine Basin in the Pacific in order to derive some
conclusions about SSZ evolution of oceanic crust.
2. Geology of the Mirdita ophiolite
The majority of the Jurassic ophiolites in Albania occur in a NW-
trending belt (Fig. 1), which is bounded by the Krasta–Çukali tectonic
zone and the Pre-Apulian Platform to the west and by the Pelagonian
Platform to the east (Fig. 2). The Krasta–Çukali tectonic zone consists of
Middle Triassic intermediate to basic volcanic rocks stratigraphically and
tectonically intermingled with contemporaneous continental shelf,
slope and rise sedimentary rocks (Shallo, 1992; Robertson and Shallo,
2000; Dilek et al., 2005, and references therein). The Pelagonian
Platform at its western edge includes a Lower–Middle Triassic
sandstone–limestone–volcanic rock assemblage, which is overlain by
Middle–Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic shallow-water carbonates
interbedded with chert and thin layers of micritic limestone (Shallo,
1992; Dilek et al., 2005). The Triassic volcanic rocks are composed
mainly of basalt, with andesite, rhyolite and trachyte intercalations. The
Upper Jurassic pelagic Ammonitico Rosso and thin nodular limestones
overlie the shallow-water limestones and pass upward into shale and
red radiolarian chert of deep-water sedimentary facies rocks. These
rocks are in turn unconformably overlain by Tithonian–Lower Cretac-
eous turbiditic rocks, debris flow, and olistostromal deposits that contain
widespread ophiolitic material. The Krasta–Çukali and Pelagonian zones
collectively make up a rifted conjugate passive margin pair bounding the
Albanian ophiolites (Dilek et al., 2005).
The Albanian ophiolites within this NW-trending belt (i.e. south of
Tirane in Fig. 1) include mainly upper mantle peridotites intruded by
gabbroic, troctolitic, and basaltic dikes, and overlain by cumulate
gabbros (Dede et al., 1966; Shallo, 1992, 1994; Kodra et al., 1993b;
Bébien et al., 1998; Hoeck et al., 2002; Shallo and Dilek, 2003;
Bortolotti et al., 2005; Dilek et al., 2005; Koller et al., 2006). Sheeted
dikes are rare to absent in these ophiolites, and gabbros and troctolites
are directly overlain in places by basalts and volcanic breccias that are
intercalated with, and covered by, sedimentary breccias and con-
glomerates (Hoeck et al., 2002; Koller et al., 2006). Individual ophiolite
massifs in this NW-trending belt are commonly several km thick, and
are unconformably overlain by Neogene–Quaternary clastic rocks of
the Mesohellenic or Albanian–Thessalian trough (i.e. Burrell basin,
Korçe basin). Discontinuous exposures of metamorphic rocks, com-
posed of amphibolite, actinolite–chlorite–epidote schist, micaschist,
and marble occur along the western and eastern edges of this belt, and
they commonly rest on subophiolitic mélanges beneath the ophiolites.
These metamorphic units have been interpreted by many researchers
as metamorphic soles beneath the Albanian ophiolites (Carosi et al.,
1996; Collaku et al., 1992; Bortolotti et al., 1996; Vergély et al., 1998;
Robertson and Shallo, 2000; Dimo-Lahitte et al., 2001), recording P–T
conditions of metamorphism up to 860°–750 °C and 9–19 kbar during
their formation at the inception of subduction (Vergély et al., 1998;
Dimo-Lahitte et al., 2001). The 40Ar/39Ar ages obtained from the
amphibolites in these metamorphic units range from 174 Ma to
165 Ma and are generally older (by ∼ 14 m.y.) than their counterparts
in the Mirdita zone farther north (Dimo-Lahitte et al., 2001).
The NW-trending ophiolite belt makes a sharp 90° turn into a short
NE-trending segment in northern Albania (Fig. 2), known as the
Mirdita zone and corresponding to the Shkoder–Peç lineament (Fig. 1)
on the tectonic map of Albania (Kodra et al., 1993a; Robertson and
Shallo, 2000; Bortolotti et al., 2005). The ophiolites in the Mirdita zone
occur in a ∼40-km-wide belt also bounded by the conjugate passive
margin sequences of the Krasta–Çukali and Pelagonia zones on the
west and the east (Fig. 2). The western and eastern parts of the Mirdita
zone are occupied by upper mantle peridotites with different
lithological and chemical compositions (Dilek and Flower, 2003).
The peridotite massifs close to the Apulian margin sequences in the
194 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206

Fig. 2. Simplified geological map of the Mirdita ophiolite in northern Albania (modified from Dilek et al., 2007; data from ISPGJ-IGJN, 1983). The insert map shows the location of the
Mirdita ophiolite within an otherwise NW–SE-trending ophiolite belt between the Pelagonian Platform to the east and the Pre-Apulian Platform to the west. Key to lettering for
different peridotite massifs (from north to south): Trp — Tropoja, Krb — Krrabi, Kuk — Kukesi, Puk — Puke, Skd — Skenderbeu, Blq — Bulqize, Shp — Shpati, She — Shebenik, Vo —
Voskopoja. The sheeted dike complex examined in this study occurs between the towns of Reps and Spaç east of the Puka massif in the central Mirdita zone.

west (i.e. Krabbi, Puka, Gomsiqe) consist mainly of lherzolites —
plagioclase lherzolites, whereas those near Pelagonia in the east (i.e.
Kukesi, Lura, Bulqize) are composed of harzburgites with major
chromite deposits (Nicolas et al., 1999; Hoxha and Boullier, 1995).
Nicolas et al. (1999) have reported that the lherzolitic peridotites in
the west are also underlain by tectonized harzburgites.
The Mirdita zone has been interpreted to have two distinct
ophiolite types based on the differences between the upper mantle
peridotites and the internal stratigraphy and chemical compositions of
crustal units (Shallo et al., 1985; Shallo, 1990; Shallo et al., 1990;
Beccaluva et al., 1994; Bortolotti et al., 1996; Tashko, 1996; Bébien et al.,
1998; Nicolas et al., 1999; Robertson and Shallo, 2000; Bébien et al.,
2000; Bortolotti et al., 2002; Shallo and Dilek, 2003; Saccani et al., 2004;
Dilek et al., 2008). The thinner Western Mirdita ophiolite (WMO) shows
mainly MORB affinities, and the nearly 10–12 km-thick Eastern Mirdita
ophiolite (EMO) displays MORB to island arc tholeiite (IAT) geochemical
affinities (Saccani et al., 2004; Beccaluva et al., 2005). Structural and
geochemical studies by Dilek et al. (2008) have shown that these two
ophiolite types are both laterally (from west to east) and vertically
transitional in time and space, although the original igneous contacts
have been locally modified by late Cenozoic, collisional thrust faults
(Dilek et al., 2005).
The WMO consists of lherzolitic peridotites, mafic–ultramafic
cumulates and mylonitic gabbros, rare sheeted dikes, and extrusive
rocks that collectively form a ∼ 3-km-thick ophiolite sequence charac-
teristic of Hess-type oceanic crust (Dilek, 2003). Plutonic rocks include
olivine gabbro, troctolite, ferrogabbro, gabbro, and plagiogranite, and
are locally intrusive into and/or overlying the peridotites. Extrusive
 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206 195

rocks form a nearly 600-m-thick sequence composed mainly of
massive to pillow lavas and hyaloclastites resting directly on
serpentinized peridotites and gabbroic rocks along igneous contacts
(Dilek et al., 2005). Isolated dike intrusions crosscut and feed into
different lava flows. These dikes and the overlying lava flows are cut by
normal faults showing throws as much as several meters and quartz–
epidote mineralization (Banerjee et al., 2002; Dilek et al., 2005). Late
Bajocian–early Bathonian to late Bathonian–early Callovian age, 5- to
20-m-thick radiolarian cherts overlie the extrusive rocks in the WMO
(Marcucci et al., 1994; Marcucci and Prela, 1996).
The EMO represents a typical Penrose-type ophiolite pseudostrati-
graphy (Dilek, 2003) complete with sheeted dikes and a nearly 1.1-km-

Fig. 3. Field occurrence of sheeted dikes. (A) Moderately to gently dipping basaltic dikes feeding into the lowermost lava flows within the extrusive sequence. (B) Moderately dipping
and highly sheared basaltic D1 dikes on the left are intruded and crosscut by meter-wide, subvertical basaltic andesitic D2 dikes. (C) NW-striking, thick D2 dikes crosscutting thinner,
N–S-striking D1 dikes; both dikes are cut by a gently-dipping normal fault (marked by the arrow). (D) Steeply NE-dipping, most prevalent basaltic andesite (D2) dikes. (E) Basaltic
andesite D2 dikes (161°, 75°NE) with gabbro screens (white color) are cut by dike-parallel normal faults and shear zones, which are in turn cut and offset by SW-dipping low-angle
brittle faults (hammer is resting on one of these late faults).
 196
C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206
Fig. 4. Outcrop maps of different dike generations within the sheeted dike complex. A. NNE-striking and WNW-dipping basaltic D1 dikes are intruded by NNW-striking, basaltic andesitic D2 dikes. Dikes range in width from 0.5 m to 1.5 m. Both
dike generations are crosscut by moderately dipping F3 faults. B. NW-striking, basaltic andesite D2 dikes are intruded by isolated, steeply dipping andesitic D3 dikes and moderately SE-dipping rhyodacitic and rhyolitic D4 dikes. C. Strongly
brecciated D2 dikes are intruded by NW-striking andesitic D3 dikes toward the eastern end of the sheeted dike complex near Spaç. Brecciation is mostly related to faulting and shearing. Both dike generations are intruded by moderately to
steeply dipping rhyodacitic and rhyolitic D4 dikes that are in turn crosscut by dike-parallel and dike-orthogonal D3 and D4 faults. D. In the central part of the sheeted dike complex, D1 and D2 dike generations are intruded by mostly andesitic
D3 dikes. D2 and D3 sheeted dikes are crosscut by NW- and SE-dipping F3 faults, which locally formed intense brecciation and cataclastic shear zones. Both dike generations and faults form locally well defined extensional graben structures
associated with widespread epidosite and chalcopyrite mineralization. E. In the east-central part of the sheeted dike complex, basaltic andesitic D2 dikes include gabbro–microgabbro screens and are crosscut extensively by dike-parallel,
moderately NE- and SW-dipping normal faults and shear zones (F2). D2 dikes, gabbro screens and F2 faults are intruded by boninitic D3 dike swarms. Some D3 dikes were emplaced along the pre-existing faults and shear zones, and some were
deformed along the re-activated F2 faults.
 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206
Fig. 5. Lower-hemisphere stereonet plots of dike generations in the sheeted dike complex. Upper row, from left to right: Contour diagram of the poles to all dikes measured in this study. The two maxima in the northern quadrants indicate
predominantly NW- and NNE-striking dikes. D1 through D4 dike generations represent progressively younger dike intrusions (based on crosscutting relations) with different geochemical compositions and show a shift from more northerly to
more westerly orientations with generally northerly dips. Rhyolitic D4 dikes are more common in the eastern part of the sheeted dike complex. Lower row, from left to right: F1 and F2 faults are dike-parallel normal faults forming local graben
structures with epidosite and chalcopyrite mineralization. F3 faults are NNE–WSW-striking ad moderately- to gently-dipping faults that are commonly oblique to perpendicular to D2 and D3 dike generations. NNW-oriented, latest-stage F4
faults dip moderately to steeply to the NE or SW and crosscut the youngest and highly differentiated D4 dikes at nearly perpendicular to oblique faults.

197
198 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206

Table 1
Geochemical analyses of representative samples of lavas and dikes from the Western (WMO) and Eastern (EMO) Mirdita ophiolite, Albania

WMO lavas WMO dikes EMO lavas

Rock type Basalt Basalt Basalt Bas. ande. Basalt Basalt Basalt Basalt Bas. ande. Andesite Dacite Boninite Rhyolite
Sample 44-Al-00 40-Al-00 2-AL-00 5-AL-00 35-Al-00 55-Al-01 62-AL-01 28-Al-00 11-Al-00 YDKA99-2 YDKA99-8 52-AL-00 61-AL-00
SiO2 48.18 48.70 50.23 53.37 49.92 47.54 49.03 52.95 56.37 57.71 67.48 56.33 83.92
TiO2 1.54 3.55 2.34 0.57 2.24 0.62 2.38 0.84 0.49 0.45 0.44 0.53 0.26
Al2O3 14.66 12.51 13.21 15.57 13.16 15.86 13.35 15.22 14.55 13.71 11.61 14.17 8.07
FeOt 13.29 16.04 13.81 9.92 14.37 8.82 15.47 11.04 9.10 9.13 6.06 9.36 3.06
MnO 0.21 0.24 0.22 0.17 0.21 0.16 0.30 0.15 0.16 0.10 0.12 0.25 0.04
MgO 7.05 4.76 6.21 6.08 5.45 9.54 5.89 5.99 6.84 3.41 0.83 8.55 0.16
CaO 10.02 8.54 8.65 7.45 9.61 12.88 10.47 5.67 4.75 5.62 5.12 3.43 2.04
Na2O 2.16 3.02 3.08 3.78 3.03 1.05 1.59 3.76 3.86 5.43 1.71 2.75 2.28
K20 0.18 0.37 0.07 0.01 0.04 0.05 0.04 0.18 0.05 0.13 0.57 n.d. 0.41
P2O5 0.11 0.37 0.21 0.04 0.17 0.02 0.25 0.06 0.03 0.03 0.08 0.02 0.21
L.O.I. 3.31 1.95 2.42 3.11 2.26 3.21 1.61 3.25 3.53 n.a. n.a. 3.78 1.42
SUM 100.71 100.05 100.45 100.07 100.46 99.74 100.37 99.11 99.73 95.72 93.73 99.17 101.87
Sc 49.7 46.4 37.8 35.8 43.2 37.4 43.9 41.1 38.8 35.0 20.7
V 400 448 364 262 339 251 438 318 237 336 13 287 8
Cr 84 41 113 82 66 470 90 37 86 18 n.d. 218 17
Co 65 66 66 53 61 46 76 56 50 n.a. n.a. 52 9
Ni 47 32 55 47 42 215 52 27 44 5 3 55 3
Cu 80 58 55 102 53 101 55 102 81 100 29 5 7
Zn 123 153 136 80 97 64 143 77 76 65 89 135 37
Rb 2 n.d. n.d. 2 n.d. 1 n.d. n.d. 1.6 14.5 2 9
Sr 92 126 104 11 73 90 85 79 44 25 70 25 57
Y 43 91 63 17 59 21 67 26 13 10 33 11 67
Zr 91 284 172 44 150 36 183 61 43 24 60 39 51
Nb 0.74 5.49 2.3 1.01 1.29 0.06 1.94 0.69 0.65 0.89 1.09
Cs 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01 n.d. 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.02 0.04 2.06
Ba 5 11 8 3 3 5 5 12 10 7 50
La 1.95 9.47 4.74 1.62 3.39 0.41 4.60 1.72 1.18 1.16 3.54
Ce 6.65 27.69 14.66 3.29 11.50 1.24 14.61 4.12 2.87 2.58 8.59
Pr 1.23 4.45 2.51 0.56 2.10 0.30 2.54 0.71 0.45 0.35 1.20
Nd 7.68 23.93 14.39 3.07 12.45 2.25 15.20 4.36 2.53 1.84 6.46
Sm 3.52 8.69 5.80 1.32 5.34 1.33 6.18 2.01 1.12 0.73 2.70
Eu 1.32 2.86 1.97 0.49 2.00 0.61 2.12 0.75 0.43 0.26 0.87
Gd 5.16 11.51 7.84 1.98 7.49 2.35 8.77 3.10 1.66 1.03 3.91
Tb 1.04 2.16 1.52 0.40 1.47 0.49 1.68 0.61 0.34 0.22 0.77
Dy 7.09 14.34 10.18 2.82 9.79 3.51 11.27 4.29 2.42 1.59 5.36
Ho 1.55 3.07 2.22 0.63 2.13 0.76 2.43 0.94 0.53 0.36 1.21
Er 4.32 8.64 6.17 1.79 5.90 2.16 6.73 2.69 1.54 1.08 3.46
Tm 0.62 1.24 0.89 0.27 0.86 0.32 0.99 0.40 0.23 0.17 0.52
Yb 3.89 7.67 5.48 1.73 5.34 2.03 6.22 2.57 1.48 1.13 3.40
Lu 0.61 1.20 0.86 0.28 0.82 0.31 0.96 0.41 0.23 0.19 0.56
Hf 2.38 6.81 4.28 0.99 3.78 0.77 4.55 1.46 0.84 0.76 1.87
Ta 0.06 0.44 0.19 0.06 0.11 n.d. 0.15 0.05 0.05 0.08 0.09
Pb 0.45 0.92 2.78 1.08 0.21 0.01 0.51 0.35 0.54 0.40 5.00
Th 0.11 0.38 0.29 0.24 0.15 n.d. 0.18 0.16 0.18 0.26 0.98
U 0.04 0.17 0.13 0.13 0.05 n.d. 0.07 0.07 0.05 0.10 0.45

Abbreviation: Bas. ande. = basaltic andesite; Dac. = Dacite; n.a. = not analyzed; n.d. = not detected; L.O.I. = loss on ignition.

thick extrusive sequence. The upper mantle peridotites in the EMO
consist of harzburgite tectonite, harzburgite–dunite interlayers, and
dunite with extensive chromite deposits. The uppermost massive dunite
is transitional upward into a 0.5–2 km-thick ultramafic cumulate section
(made of olivine clinopyroxenite, wehrlite, olivine websterite, and
dunite) that represents a petrological Moho (Dilek et al., 2007). Plutonic
rocks above this fossil Moho include pyroxenite, gabbronorite, gabbro,
amphibole gabbro, diorite, quartz diorite, and plagiogranite intrusions.
The sheeted dikes have mutually intrusive relations with isotropic
gabbros, plagiogranites, and quartz diorites, and feed into the overlying
pillow lavas (Fig. 3). The internal structure of the sheeted dike complex is
presented in the next section below.
The ∼ 1.1 km thick extrusive sequence in the EMO is composed of
pillowed to massive sheet flows ranging in composition from basalt
and basaltic andesite at the bottom to andesite, boninite, rhyodacite
and rhyolite in the upper part (Shallo et al., 1987; Shallo, 1990, 1995;
Beccaluva et al., 1994; Bortolotti et al., 1996; Bortolotti et al., 2002;
Shallo and Dilek, 2003; Saccani et al., 2004; Dilek et al., 2007, 2008).
Boninitic dikes and lavas commonly crosscut and/or overlie the
earlier-formed extrusive rocks, indicating that they are among the
latest magmatic products in crustal accretion of the EMO (Dilek et al.,
2005). Similar to the WMO to the west, the upper Bathonian–
Oxfordian radiolarian cherts stratigraphically overlie the EMO
extrusive sequence (Marcucci et al., 1994; Marcucci and Prela, 1996;
Chiari et al., 1994).
3. Internal structure of the sheeted dike complex
The sheeted dike complex (SDC) comprises a nearly 10-km-wide
section of mutually intrusive sub-parallel dikes (Fig. 3). We examined
922 dikes along a 7.1-km-segment of the SDC in the EMO between the
towns of Reps and Spaç (Fig. 2). This transect included a complete cross-
section of the sheeted dike complex from the dike–gabbro boundary
upward to the contact between the dikes and the extrusive sequence.
The dike–gabbro boundary is marked by a transition zone displaying
mutually intrusive relations between dikes and the uppermost isotropic
gabbros, quartz diorites and plagiogranites. The boundary between the
sheeted dikes and the extrusive sequence is complex with dikes locally
feeding into various levels of pillow and sheet lava flows in some areas
(Fig. 3A), whereas in some other places pillow lavas are faulted against
sheeted dike swarms within locally well developed structural grabens
with lavas occupying the graben centers.
We have identified four dike generations based on their cross-
cutting relations and structural and compositional features. Nearly
15% of the dikes have doubly chilled margins. The rest of the dikes
show one-sided chilled margins, and the majority of these dikes
 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206 199

Table 1
Geochemical analyses of representative samples of lavas and dikes from the Western (WMO) and Eastern (EMO) Mirdita ophiolite, Albania

EMO dikes
Basalt Bas. ande. Bas. ande. Bas. ande. Andesite Andesite Andes/Dac. Dacite Dacite Boninite Boninite Boninite Rhyolite Rhyolite
71-AL-01 YDKA99-5 YDKA99-6 116-Al-01 48-Al-00 72-AL-00 122-AL-01 48-AL-00 50-AL-00 90-Al-00 112-AL-01 YDKA99-4 76-AL-00 80-Al-00
51.96 57.33 55.31 55.92 61.82 59.60 65.57 61.82 63.82 53.21 57.36 52.38 73.00 74.61
0.57 0.84 0.69 0.48 1.07 1.17 0.76 1.07 0.97 0.12 0.28 0.32 0.43 0.44
15.22 14.57 15.45 16.25 13.75 15.16 13.33 13.75 13.87 10.35 12.34 12.58 11.86 11.68
10.06 10.99 10.02 10.34 12.01 12.34 9.45 12.01 10.13 8.87 8.67 7.78 6.48 6.35
0.17 0.20 0.17 0.17 0.05 0.14 0.12 0.05 0.05 0.15 0.16 0.22 0.04 0.07
8.04 5.26 6.89 5.09 1.28 3.06 2.86 1.28 1.23 15.56 8.48 12.31 0.83 0.74
5.37 5.56 5.87 4.39 4.03 8.14 2.28 4.03 3.89 9.28 7.02 8.95 0.93 1.41
2.61 1.18 2.75 4.42 4.79 1.24 3.07 4.79 4.88 0.05 3.75 2.33 4.82 4.69
0.51 1.47 0.60 0.17 0.03 0.13 0.22 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.17 0.61 0.03 0.09
0.05 0.06 0.06 0.04 0.28 0.05 0.11 0.28 0.23 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.07 0.07
4.11 n.a. n.a. 2.13 0.95 0.87 2.66 0.95 0.84 1.81 1.33 n.a. 1.23 0.87
98.66 97.46 97.80 99.44 100.06 101.90 100.44 100.06 99.93 99.42 99.57 97.52 99.72 101.02
44.1 43.3 44.2 23.4 40.8 30.8 23.4 19 51.8 51.5 48.4 20.8
294 310 345 269 7 192 25 7 20 191 140 222 11 10
86 25 47 28 6 29 8 6 7 1319 306 671 5 7
53 n.a. n.a. 52 50 47 41 50 39 56 44 n.a. 27 27
40 7 31 26 2 9 5 2 8 410 72 130 2 2
104 127 126 112 n.d. 9 52 n.d. n.d. 5 6 15 n.d. n.d.
72 56 67 64 19 23 109 19 14 35 58 111 15 19
8 6.2 2.8 1 n.d. 1 1 n.d. 2 1 3 2.7 1 1
80 96 83 47 66 91 60 66 62 21 78 58 39 54
20 20 17 19 103 35 36 103 116 4 10 11 50 57
44 33 29 36 147 54 73 147 189 21 27 15 56 53
0.59 0.43 0.47 2.99 0.47 0.95 2.99 3.53 0.58 0.32 0.29 0.96
0.01 0.02 0.05 n.d. 0.02 0.01 n.d. n.d. 0.01 0.05 0.01 0.01
13 22 9 4 9 11 4 4 3 16 19 9
2.15 1.54 1.11 6.12 3.33 2.87 6.12 7.72 1.19 0.55 0.74 4.11
5.19 3.78 2.66 16.74 8.03 7.50 16.74 21.19 2.18 1.30 1.90 9.62
0.75 0.58 0.39 2.79 1.19 1.12 2.79 3.43 0.24 0.19 0.28 1.34
3.95 3.18 2.16 16.31 6.51 6.30 16.31 19.58 0.93 1.06 1.55 7.17
1.66 1.36 1 6.93 2.57 2.62 6.93 7.84 0.27 0.52 0.71 2.87
0.66 0.56 0.39 2.26 0.97 0.89 2.26 2.08 0.10 0.17 0.27 0.80
2.38 1.96 1.7 10.04 3.77 3.82 10.04 11.12 0.34 0.85 1.10 4.03
0.47 0.40 0.35 1.94 0.76 0.75 1.94 2.17 0.07 0.19 0.21 0.82
3.35 2.85 2.51 13.09 5.24 5.34 13.09 14.56 0.56 1.40 1.54 5.73
0.75 0.64 0.6 2.88 1.18 1.20 2.88 3.14 0.14 0.32 0.36 1.31
2.28 1.88 1.73 8.10 3.43 3.46 8.10 8.95 0.44 0.96 1.01 3.79
0.33 0.29 0.27 1.17 0.50 0.52 1.17 1.29 0.08 0.16 0.15 0.58
2.13 1.83 1.82 7.31 3.19 3.43 7.31 8.14 0.55 1.00 1.01 3.73
0.35 0.30 0.29 1.16 0.52 0.54 1.16 1.27 0.10 0.17 0.16 0.61
1.05 0.88 0.73 4.73 1.60 1.96 4.73 6.21 0.25 0.43 0.42 1.93
0.05 0.04 0.03 0.20 0.04 0.07 0.20 0.25 0.05 0.02 0.03 0.06
1.36 1.00 0.44 0.11 0.18 0.51 0.11 0.15 0.26 0.19 1.19 0.24
0.55 0.36 0.25 0.53 0.35 0.63 0.53 0.77 0.42 0.09 0.17 1.20
0.24 0.17 0.18 0.15 0.19 0.32 0.15 0.24 0.25 0.05 0.07 0.52

generally display chilled zones on their eastern margins. The first and
second dike generations, labeled D1 and D2 respectively, are
composed primarily of grey to blue-green, fine-grained, basalt and
basaltic andesite and have attitudes of 030° and 320°–355° with 90°–
40°dips to the E–NE (Figs. 3B–E, 4A and 5). These dike generations are
most common in the SDC, comprising approximately 60% of the dikes
measured and average between 40 cm and 1.5 m in width. Basaltic
andesite dikes are mostly aphyric with a groundmass consisting
mainly of epidotized plagioclase, amphibole (variably altered to
chlorite), minor clinopyroxene and Fe-oxides, and less commonly
quartz. Rare phenocrysts are mostly clinopyroxene and plagioclase.
Narrow outcrops of gabbro and microgabbro occur as screens between
D2 dikes (Figs. 3E and 4E). D1 and D2 dikes are cut by generally steeply
SE dipping normal faults and shear zones (F1; Figs. 4D and 5) that
show widespread epidote–chlorite mineralization.
Younger third generation dikes (D3) are composed primarily of
andesites and porphyritic boninities that crosscut earlier D1 and D2
basaltic and basaltic andesitic dikes (Fig. 4E). These D3 dikes occur in
isolated dike swarms with WNW orientations and high angle (60°–75°)
dips (Fig. 5). They range in width from 60 cm to 3 m with one- and two-
sided chilled margins. They are cut by dike-parallel, mineralized normal
faults (F2), defining locally well developed structural grabens (Fig. 5) and
displaying throws of a few meters or less. Dike-orthogonal normal faults
(F3) crosscutting D3 dikes tend to strike 060°–080° with dips of 35°–50°,
locally becoming listric with depth (Fig. 5). Andesitic dikes in the sheeted
dike complex are mostly aphyric with a groundmass composed of
plagioclase (altered to smectite), quartz, pale-green amphibole, fine-
grained Fe-oxide, zeolite, and chlorite. Rare phenocrysts consist of
plagioclase and clinopyroxene. Boninitic dikes range from aphyric to
moderately-phyric (∼7% phenocrysts) to highly-phyric (∼20% pheno-
crysts). Phenocrysts in these dike rocks are made of clinopyroxene,
orthopyroxene, and plagioclase.
Fourth generation (D4) dikes make up the youngest dike genera-
tion within the SDC, have easterly orientations between 240° and 290°
with steep dips (N70°; Fig. 5), range in composition from quartz
microdiorite, dacite, rhyodacite to rhyolite. These dikes broadly
correspond to Shallo's (1995) description of fourth generation dikes
described as quartz–dacite and dacitic–rhyodacitic dikes. These fine-
grained dikes commonly occur as single dikes, isolated intrusions, or
small dike swarms throughout the dike complex (Fig. 4B–C). D4 dikes
typically have widths of 20–40 cm, with doubly chilled, irregular
margins. This dike generation is cut by N–NW-oriented, dike-
perpendicular faults (F4) and shear zones (Fig. 4B–C and Fig. 5).
Dacitic and rhyolitic dike rocks are aphyric to moderately phyric (∼5%)
with a groundmass consisting mainly of quartz and feldspar, and
minor green amphibole and Fe-oxide.
200 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206
Late-stage quartz diorite plutons and stocks crosscut all dike
generations within the SDC and dikes emanating from these plutons
are intruded upward along fault zones and shear zones. Hydrothermal
alteration around these plutons is widespread, locally extending over
100 m in width and the dikes of the SDC are almost completely
recrystallized to epidosites within these alteration zones. Extensive
veining and sulfide (chalcopyrite) mineralization occurs spatially
associated with these alteration zones.
4. Geochemical progression within the EMO crustal section
We have done systematic geochemistry of the representative dike
generations within the sheeted dike complex and lava flows in the
extrusive sequence of the EMO in order to document the progressive
evolution of ophiolitic magmas through time. We also compared the
geochemistry of the EMO dikes and lavas to that of the WMO dikes and
lavas. A more comprehensive coverage of the geochemical analyses of
the upper crustal rocks in the Mirdita ophiolite is available in Dilek et al.
(2008). The analytical techniques and procedures used for major- and
trace-element analyses are also described in Dilek et al. (2008). We
present the major- and trace-element analyses of a representative suite
of lavas and dikes from the WMO and EMO in Table 1. The majority
(∼75%) of the analyzed samples have L.O.I. contents b4%, indicating very
little to moderate alteration. Evaluating the major- and trace-element
geochemical data from all analyzed rock samples from the Mirdita
ophiolite, Dilek et al. (2008) considered L.O.I. values against all the
elements but found no correlation that would indicate enrichment or
depletion with variable L.O.I. Therefore, we infer that element mobility
during alteration and metamorphism did not affect original element
concentrations in our analyzed dike samples significantly.
The WMO dikes and lavas are represented mainly by MORB-type
tholeiitic, sub-alkaline basalts with a narrow SiO2 range of 47–50 wt.%,
whereas the EMO dikes and lavas are characterized by island arc
tholeiitic (IAT) and boninitic rocks ranging in composition from basalt
and basaltic andesite to andesite, dacite, rhyodacite, and rhyolite with a
much wider range of SiO2 between 52 and 70 wt.% (Fig. 6). This
compositional range and progression of the EMO dikes is consistent with
our grouping of different dike generations (D1–D4) based on their
crosscutting relations in the field. The WMO dikes (mainly equivalent of
our D1 dike generation) and lavas display a predominant MORB affinity
with a detectable subduction zone influence, as indicated by the
occurrence of typical island arc-type (IAT) basalts among them (Fig. 7).
However, the EMO dikes and lavas plot nearly all in the island arc and
boninitic fields (D2 through D4 dikes), with some minor occurrences in
the MORB field (mainly D1 dikes; Fig. 7). The chondrite-normalized REE
patterns of both the WMO and EMO dikes and lavas range from rather
flat to LREE-depleted; they are also both depleted with respect to the
REEs, although the EMO lavas and dikes are considerably more
differentiated than those of the WMO (Fig. 8). The representative
basaltic andesite dike having the lowest REE contents among the EMO
dike groups shows a REE composition typical of MORB/IAT basalts of
Saccani et al. (2004) and the intermediate Ti and Zr basalts of Hoeck et al.
(2002) from the South Albanian ophiolites. The EMO also includes dikes
with high-Mg andesitic compositions showing a distinct convex-down
pattern typical of boninites (Fig. 8).
The EMO dike groups are characterized by depletion in Ta, Nb, and
high-field strength elements (HFSE) (Fig. 9). Basaltic andesite dikes show
HFSE values ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 times N-MORB composition and
strong negative anomalies in Th, Ta, and Nb (Fig. 9). Andesite and dacite
dikes have HFSE values between 0.5 and 3 times N-MORB and slight to
major negative anomalies in Th, and Ta and Nb, respectively (Fig. 9). All
these basaltic andesite, andesite and dacite dike rocks display a tendency
toward lower overall enrichment in the elements between Ce and Lu. The
boninitic dikes, on the other hand, show strong depletion as they all plot
below unity on the MORB-normalized diagram (Fig. 9). The rhyolite dike
mimics the patterns of the dacitic dikes, although it is clearly less
enriched and significantly more depleted in Ti. All dikes (except
boninites) show slight Y positive anomalies. Andesite, dacite, and
rhyolite dikes have Th contents significantly higher than that of MORB.
The petrogenetic modeling of the dikes and lavas has shown that the
WMO and EMO developed through a progressive evolution of MORB to
IAT to boninitic magmas in a suprasubduction zone setting (Dilek et al.,
2008), similar to the Western Hellenide ophiolites farther south in
Greece (Pe-Piper et al., 2004; Saccani and Photiades, 2004). Melt
generation, mixing and differentiation occurred in the subarc–forearc
mantle above this inferred intra-oceanic subduction zone. These
processes were affected by slab rollback-driven mantle return flow
and arc-wedge corner flow that collectively played a major role in the
evolution of the melting column above the subducting slab (Dilek et al.,
2008, and references therein). Mantle diapirism caused by slab rollback
was instrumental in partial melting of the sub-arc mantle. The
widespread magmatic and tectonic rifting that we have documented
from the EMO sheeted dike complex was an artifact of upper plate
extension keeping pace with the retrograde slab motion (slab retreat) as
expected in this petrogenetic model. The late-stage boninitic dikes (D3)
and associated lavas were the products of shallow partial melting of
relatively hot, hydrous, and repeatedly depleted (ultra-depleted)
peridotites in the rapidly evolving suprasubduction zone mantle wedge.
The latest-stage D4 dikes and equivalent lavas in the EMO that are
composed of rhyodacites and rhyolites show large variations in and
higher concentrations of Th (with respect to more mafic dikes and lavas).
Because Th is little mobilized in a fluid phase, the major Th enrichment in
these dike magmas needs an explanation. A generally high-Th source (up
to ∼20 ppm) in comparison to the Th contents of MORB is interpreted to
be subducted sediments (Plank and Langmuir, 1998). Therefore, high-Th
and U/Th and Ba/Th ratios in dacitic, rhyodacitic and rhyolitic dikes
indicate sediment and fluid incorporation from the subducting slab. We
infer that the high Th values of these dike rocks resulted from magmas
that were originated from a mantle source enriched in Th by melts
derived from subducted sediments (Dilek et al., 2008). This very late-
stage phenomenon was most likely related to melting of continentally-
derived (Pelagonia) sediments on the subducting plate.
5. Extensional tectonics in a SSZ setting and geodynamics of the
Mirdita basin
The internal structure of the EMO sheeted dike complex and the
petrogenetic-geochemical features of the dikes and lavas in the Mirdita
ophiolite in general suggest a complex seafloor spreading history in a
suprasubduction zone tectonic setting. The inferred SSZ extensional
tectonics of the Mirdita ophiolite is reminiscent of the protoarc–forearc
crust evolution in the Izu–Bonin–Marianas system in the Western Pacific
Ocean (Stern et al., 1989; Taylor et al., 1991; Klaus et al., 1992; Taylor,
1992; Bloomer et al.,1995; Gribble et al.,1996; Cosca et al.,1998; Ishizuka
et al., 2002, 2003; Hawkins, 2003; Straub, 2003; Nishizawa et al., 2006;
Takahashi et al., 2007). The changing seafloor spreading directions
within the Mirdita basin, as inferred from the variations in dike
orientations within the EMO sheeted dike complex, were most likely the
manifestation of changes in the regional stress regime. We present the
geodynamic evolution of the West Philippine Basin as a modern
analogue for the Jurassic Mirdita basin in terms of its rotational seafloor
spreading tectonics.
5.1. Mirdita arc–protoarc evolution
Initial spreading of the Mirdita basin occurred as the Apulian and
Pelagonian micro-continents rifted apart in the late Triassic, produ-
cing the Krasta–Çukali — Pelagonia conjugate passive margin pair
(Dilek et al., 2005). With continued rift-drift and seafloor spreading,
extension and subsidence within the Mirdita rift zone reached pelagic
depths by 175 Ma (Dilek et al., 2005; Fig. 10A). Continued rifting
caused the non-adiabatic uplift of upper mantle rocks with limited
 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206 201

upper plate extension and has been overbuilt by new arc crust (Klaus
et al., 1992; Stern and Bloomer, 1992; Taylor et al., 1991; Bloomer et al.,
1995; Cosca et al., 1998). Crustal extension here is accommodated by
high-to low-angle normal faults bounding half- and full-grabens, and
the total amount of early rift-stage extension has been estimated to be
∼3 km. Border faults against the proto-remnant arc have dips ∼55°
near the surface but attain sub-horizontal geometries at ∼2.8 km
depth, suggesting that rift-related structures are detached at shallow
crustal levels (Klaus et al., 1992). This extensional crustal architecture
described from the IBM forearc crust is reminiscent of the structure of
the upper oceanic crustal sequence in the Mirdita ophiolite as we
document in this study.

Fig. 6. Geochemical classification of representative lavas and dikes from the WMO and
EMO using the Zr/TiO2 × 10,000 versus SiO2 diagram of Winchester and Floyd (1977).
Distributions of D1 through D4 dike generations within the EMO sheeted dike complex
are shown.

partial melting and resulted in the formation of a Hess-type incom-

plete oceanic crust (Dilek et al., 2005). This early Jurassic oceanic crust
underwent tectonic extension and oceanic core complex formation
that led to the exhumation of the Gomsiqe, Puka and Krabbi peridotite
massifs facing the Apulian passive margin (Fig. 2; Robertson and
Shallo, 2000; Dilek et al., 2005, 2007).
The Mirdita basin started collapsing via intra-oceanic subduction
(Fig. 10B) because of a regional compressional stress regime caused by
the continental collisions that occurred farther north in the European
side of Laurasia (Stampfli, 2001; Stampfli et al., 2001; Stampfli and
Borel, 2004; Dilek et al., 2005, 2007). This Tethyan-wide contraction
might also have resulted in a northwesterly motion and clockwise
rotation of the Pelagonian microcontinent (Rosenbaum et al., 2002;
Stampfli, 2001). Subduction and initial closure of the Mirdita basin
occurred during 170–162 Ma, as constrained from 40Ar/39Ar ages of the
metamorphic sole rocks (Vergély et al., 1998; Dimo-Lahitte et al.,
2001), which are interpreted to represent subduction initiation
(Insergueix-Filippi et al., 2000; Dimo-Lahitte et al., 2001; Wakabayashi
and Dilek, 2001, 2003, and references therein). As the WNW-dipping
(in present coordinate system) subduction zone was established,
magmatic plumbing associated with this subduction produced an
oceanic crust with MORB to island arc tholeiite (IAT) affinities
(Domain-I) in an eastward extending incipient arc–forearc setting
(Fig.10B; Dilek et al., 2007, 2008). Rapid slab retreat due to slab rollback
exceeding the convergence rates resulted in the upper plate extension
which in turn led to the formation of the sheeted dike complex with D1
and D2 basalt to basaltic andesite dike generations.
Fig. 7. TiO2–V (A), Zr–Zr/Y (B), and Y–Cr (C) discriminant diagrams of representative
A modern analogue for this kind of extensional forearc crust lavas and dikes from the WMO and EMO; D1 through D4 dike generations within the
formation is best seen in the Izu–Bonin–Mariana (IBM) and Tonga EMO sheeted dike complex are shown in C. Symbols: MORB = mid-ocean ridge basalts,
regions, where older oceanic crust has been stretched and thinned by IAT = island arc tholeiites, WPB = within plate basalts, Bon = boninites.
202 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206
Fig. 8. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns of representative lava and dike samples from
the WMO and EMO. D1 through D4 dike generations within the EMO sheeted dike
complex are shown. Chondrite values are from Haskin et al. (1968).
The igneous stratigraphy of the IBM forearc crust has been well
studied through the cores from ODP 786B (Arculus et al., 1992;
Pearce et al., 1992, 1999; Cosca et al., 1998). The lower lavas
composed of mafic pillow lavas and hyaloclastites and cut by
individual dikes stratigraphically overlie low-Ca boninitic sheeted
dikes (from 690 to 835 mbsf). The overlying upper lavas consist of
lava flows, ranging in composition from bronzite andesite, andesite
to dacite and rhyolite, and intercalating with breccias and rare
sediments (from 160 to 69 mbsf). These lava flows are cut by dikes of
similar compositions making up part of the volcanic sequence as
feeder intrusions. High-Ca boninitic dikes crosscut the entire
extrusive sequence representing the latest stage of forearc magma-
tism (Arculus et al., 1992). The crustal architecture and the
geochemical make-up of the IBM forearc oceanic crust are thus
remarkably similar to what we see in the Jurassic Mirdita ophiolite.
The closure of the basin continued in a zipper fashion from south to
north, as a result of the impingement of the western edge of the
clockwise rotating Pelagonian microcontinent at this arc-trench
rollback system. This convergence and the diachronous closure of
the basin caused the rotation of the rift axis to a WNW–ESE
orientation (Fig. 10C). At the same time, shallowing subduction
angle resulted in compression of the isotherms in the mantle wedge
leading to the development of a thermal burst and the subsequent
formation of boninitic melts (Martinez and Taylor, 2003). The late-
stage boninitic magmatism in the Southern Dinaride belt north of the
Mirdita zone might have been caused by the intersection of a
southward-propagating active spreading center with the oceanic
fracture zone at the northern termination of the protoarc (Fig. 10C;
Deschamps and Lallemand, 2003). This stage of magmatism produced
the upper oceanic crust (Domains II and III in Fig. 10C) that was
composed mainly of andesitic and boninitic dikes (D3) and lavas in
and across the previously formed incipient arc crust (Domain I). Partial
melting of relatively hot, hydrous, and repeatedly depleted peridotite
in the suprasubduction mantle wedge produced more evolved and
felsic magmas feeding late-stage rhyodacitic and rhyolitic dikes (D4)
and lavas. Higher U/Th and Ba/Th ratios and large Th-enrichment in
these latest dikes and lavas (Dilek et al., 2008) were a result of melting
of sediments on the subducting slab, which were derived from the
adjacent Pelagonian subcontinent (Fig. 10C).
5.2. Comparison with the West Philippine Basin
This inferred seafloor spreading tectonics of the Jurassic Mirdita
basin in a SSZ setting is reminiscent of the late Eocene–early Oligocene
evolution of the West Philippine Basin (WPB) in the Western Pacific
Ocean. The WPB represents an inactive marginal basin as part of the
larger Philippine Sea Plate (Hamburger et al., 1983; Deschamps et al.,
2002) and has a complex seafloor spreading evolution as a result of
the intricate subduction history within the region. Geophysical
investigations of the WPB have shown a complex seafloor spreading
fabric with rotated abyssal hill features (Deschamps et al., 2002). In
addition, the most recent 100 km of spreading that has occurred in the
WPB displays variations in the seafloor spreading fabric, pointing to a
change in ridge orientation with time. Collectively, these observations
suggest that spreading direction in the WPB shifted while seafloor
spreading was still in operation. Deschamps et al. (2002) showed that
the initial spreading in the WPB prior to 35 Ma was oriented N10°E as
determined from the seafloor fabric and abyssal hill orientations
(Fig. 11A). This spreading direction was shifted to a N10°W orientation
(Fig. 11B) ∼ 33 Ma due to the rotation of the seafloor spreading system
to NE–SW possibly as a result of far-field stresses originated from
regional tectonic events both to the west and east of the WPB
(Deschamps et al., 2002). The most recent phase of seafloor spreading
in the WPB occurred obliquely along a NW–SE rift valley creating a
seafloor fabric that deformed the pre-existing seafloor structures in a
broadly trans-tensional system (Fig. 11C). This last shift in the seafloor
spreading direction was a result of the incipient collision between the
northern part of the Philippine arc with rifted fragments of Eurasia,
forcing a rapid reorientation of the spreading axis in the WPB. NE–SW
extension continued until the E–W directed extension and seafloor
spreading in the Parece–Vela arc began ∼26 Ma (Deschamps et al.,
2002).
The structural architecture of the sheeted dike complex (cross-
cutting dike generations and associated fault systems) in the Mirdita
ophiolite suggests significant shifts in the direction of crustal
extension as the protoarc–forearc crust developed in the rolling
arc–trench system. Following the inception of intraoceanic subduc-
tion in the Mirdita basin, the extension was oriented ESE–WNW
producing a predominantly NNE-trending tectonic fabric of Domain I
(D1 dikes and F1 faults; Fig. 11I). Basaltic andesitic, andesitic to
boninitic dikes of the D2 and D3 generations and associated fault
systems crosscut this earlier fabric (Fig. 11II) and point to an ENE–
WSW-directed extension in the forearc environment that produced
Domain II. U/Pb Zircon dates from plagiogranite and quartz diorite
intrusions (Fig. 2) associated with this stage of magmatism yield
consistently similar ages ∼ 165 Ma (Dilek et al., 2008), providing a
reliable time constraint for this phase of forearc accretion. The latest
intrusions of rhyodacite, rhyolite and quartz microdiorite dikes have
nearly WNW–ESE orientations, suggesting further rotation of the
spreading direction to a more northerly orientation (Fig. 11III). Some
 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206 203

Fig. 9. MORB-normalized multi-element patterns for different dike groups in the sheeted dike complex of the EMO. Normalizing values are from Sun and McDonough (1989).

of the pre-existing fault systems in the highly extended forearc crust
might have been reactivated during this phase, developing dike-
perpendicular oblique-slip faults.
6. Conclusions
The Middle Jurassic Mirdita ophiolite in the northern Albanian
ophiolite belt contains a nearly 10-km-wide sheeted dike complex
that record the extensional tectonic evolution and rifting history of
an ancient incipient arc–forearc crust. The WMO consists of
lherzolitic peridotites intruded by gabbros and overlain by MORB-
type extrusive rocks. The EMO includes a complete Penrose-type
ophiolite pseudostratigraphy with a 1.1-km-thick extrusive sequence
containing MORB-type pillow lavas at the bottom that are progres-
sively transitional upward and laterally eastward into an IAT
assemblage composed of basaltic andesite, andesite, rhyodacite,
boninite and rhyolite.
Crosscutting relations of dike intrusions within the SDC define four
dike generations with different orientations that mimic the composi-
tional ranges in the extrusive sequence. D1 and D2 dikes composed of
basalts and basaltic andesites (respectively) constitute the oldest dike
generations with NNE and NNW orientations and are crosscut by dike-
parallel normal faults (F1) forming local grabens. These dikes, normal
faults, and graben structures represent the early stages of rifting of an
incipient arc–forearc crust that formed in the upper plate of an ESE-
retreating, intraoceanic subduction slab within the Mirdita basin.
Andesitic and boninitic D3 dikes intruding the earlier dike generations
in the eastern part of the SDC have WNW orientations and are cut by
and rotated along dike-parallel F2 faults that display extensive
epidosite and chalcopyrite mineralization. These dikes were derived
204 C.M. Phillips-Lander, Y. Dilek / Lithos 108 (2009) 192–206

Fig. 10. Sequential map-view diagrams depicting the tectonic evolution of the Jurassic ophiolite in the Mirdita basin. A. Oblique rifting between Apulia and Pelagonia and ensuing
slow spreading produce a conjugate passive margin pair and highly extended oceanic lithosphere during the latest Triassic–early Jurassic. Inferred ultra slow spreading was
responsible for non-adiabatic uplift and exhumation of upper mantle peridotites and little partial melting, generating limited crustal accretion and basaltic volcanism. B. Initiation of
intraoceanic subduction and associated slab rollback induce upper plate extension and related magmatism producing protoarc–forearc oceanic crust (Domain I). D1 dikes and MORB
to IAT lavas are produced at this stage. C. Convergence of clockwise-rotating Pelagonian continent on the arc–trench system cause a shift in the seafloor spreading direction to a more
easterly orientation and andesitic–boninitic magmatism accompanied and followed by the eruption of highly differentiated lavas. This late-stage magmatism and the resultant
oceanic crust (Domain III) were constructed on and across the pre-existing protoarc–forearc crust. See text for further discussion.

from magmas that were produced from partial melting of hot,
hydrous, and ultra-depleted harzburgites in the SSZ mantle wedge.
Boninitic melt formation was most likely related to the compression of
isotherms in the mantle wedge caused by the shallowing subduction
angle as a result of the convergence of Pelagonia. The impingement of
the clockwise rotating Pelagonia on the trench may also have caused
the spreading axis to shift to a WNW–ESE orientation. The latest stage
and highly evolved rhyodacitic and rhyolitic D4 dikes and their
extrusive counterparts were developed along this WNW-oriented
spreading axis and were constructed on and across the extended
incipient arc–forearc crust. The rifted protoarc–forearc evolution of
the Jurassic Mirdita ophiolite and the rotational history of its paleo-
spreading axes in a SSZ setting are analogous to the Late Cenozoic
tectonic evolution of the Izu–Bonin–Mariana arc–trench system and
the West Philippine Basin.
Acknowledgements
Our research in Albania has been supported by grants from the
NATO Science Programme (EST.CLG-97617), Miami University Hamp-
ton International Studies and the Committee on Faculty Research, the
Ohio Board of Regents (OBOR) Research Challenge Program, the
Geological Society of America's Grant-in-Aid of Research, and Sigma Xi,
the Scientific Research Society’s Grant-in-Aid of Research, which we
gratefully acknowledge. Logistical support from the Albanian Geolo-
gical Survey during the course of our fieldwork in Albania has been
very helpful, and we sincerely thank Dodi Stefaniku, Martin Legisi, and
Zef Marku for their time and assistance. We also thank our Albanian
colleagues, E. Gjani, A. Meshi, I. Milushi, M. Shallo, and M. Legisi for
their support and collaboration. Constructive and thorough reviews for
Lithos by Nikolay Bonev, Emilio Saccani, and Guest Editor Alastair
Robertson helped us improve the paper; we thank these colleagues for
their insightful comments and input.

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