Eyuboglu, Yener; Santosh, M.; Yi, Keewook; Tuysuz, Necati; Korkmaz, Sadettin; Akaryali, Enver; Dudas, Francis O.; Bektas, Osman

The Meso-Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt provides a key to evaluate the volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits associated with convergent margin tectonics in a Cordilleran-type orogenic belt. Here we present new geological, geochemical and zircon U-Pb geochronological data, and attempt to characterize the metallogeny through a comprehensive overview of the important VMS mineralizations in the belt. The VMS deposits in the northern part of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt occur in two different stratigraphic horizons consisting mainly of felsic volcanic rocks within the late Cretaceous sequence. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb analyses from ore-bearing dacites yield weighted mean Pb-206/U-238 ages ranging between 91.1 +/- 1.3 and 82.6 +/- 1 Ma. The felsic rocks of first and second horizons reveal geochemical characteristics of subduction-related calc-alkaline and shoshonitic magmas, respectively, in continental arcs and represent the immature and mature stages of a late Cretaceous magmatic arc. The nature of the late Cretaceous magmatism in the northern part of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt and the various lithological associations including volcaniclastics, mudstones and sedimentary facies indicate a rift-related environment where dacitic volcanism was predominant. The eastern Pontides VMS deposits are located within the caldera-like depressions and are closely associated with dome-like structures of felsic magmas, with their distribution controlled by fracture systems. Based on a detailed analyses of the geological, geophysical and geodynamic information, we propose that the VMS deposits were generated either in intra arc or near arc region of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt during the southward subduction of the Tethys oceanic lithosphere. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eyuboglu, Yener; Santosh, M.; Bektas, Osman; Ayhan, Seda

The Eastern Pontides orogenic belt in the Black Sea region of Turkey offers a critical window to plate kinematics and subduction polarity during the closure of the Paleotethys. Here we provide a brief synthesis on recent information from this belt. We infer a southward subduction for the origin of the Eastern Pontides orogenic belt and its associated late Mesozoic-Cenozoic magmatism based on clear spatial and temporal variations in Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic arc magmatism, together with the existence of a prominent south-dipping reverse fault system along the entire southern coast of the Black Sea. Our model is at variance with some recent proposals favoring a northward subduction polarity, and illustrates the importance of arc magmatism in evaluating the geodynamic milieu associated with convergent margin processes.

Eyuboglu, Yener; Santosh, M.; Bektas, Osman; Chung, Sun-Lin

The eastern Pontides orogenic belt of northeastern Turkey offers critical clues on convergent margin tectonics associated with the late Mesozoic-early Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the eastern Mediterranean region. Here we report the geology, petrology, geochemistry, Nd-Sr-Pb isotopes and U-Pb zircon ages from a ultramafic-mafic complex in Aksalur which forms part of a series of Alaskan-type ultramafic-mafic bodies in the Amasya region located at the south-western corner of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt. These ultramafic-mafic intrusions occur as minor (30-300m in diameter), scattered, roughly circular bodies within the low-grade metamorphic rocks of the Tokat metamorphic massif. Petrographic studies characterise the rock types as gabbro and wehrlite, with the latter showing typical cumulate texture and mainly comprising serpentinized olivine, clinopyroxene, hornblende, mica and opaque minerals. The gabbroic rocks are characterized by relatively high initial ratios of 143Nd/144Nd (0.512618-0.512633) and low initial ratios of 87Sr/86Sr (0.70420-0.70435). Their initial Pb isotope ratios range from 17.306 to 17.771. The gabbros and cumulate wehrlites display geochemical distribution patterns analogous to the Alaskan-type intrusions that were derived from a subduction-related, high-alumina, hydrous basaltic parental magma in a convergent plate setting. LA-ICPMS analyses of zircons separated from the gabbros show high Th/U ratios (1.35-5.26) typical of magmatic origin. The U-Pb isotopic data define a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of 203.3±4.9Ma. Detailed evaluation of the magma tectonics suggests that the Alaskan-type Aksalur ultramafic-mafic intrusions were accumulated in magma chamber(s) located at relatively shallow crustal levels. Two distinct magmatic pulses are identified: the first phase produced the gabbroic intrusions and the second phase was characterized by numerous small-scale werhlitic cumulate intrusions. In contrast to the previous models which assigned a mid-oceanic ridge-derived ophiolite affinity for ultramafic-mafic complexes in the eastern Pontides orogenic belt, our study reveals that these intrusions were derived from subduction-related high-alumina hydrous basaltic magmas transferred into the overlying relatively thin continental crust along deep-seated fractures.

Eyuboglu, Yener; Dilek, Yildirim; Bozkurt, Erdin; Bektas, Osman; Rojay, Bora; Sen, Cuneyt

The Karayasmak ultramafic-mafic association (KUMA) in NE Turkey represents an Alaskan-type, pre-Liassic intrusion in the Pulur metamorphic massif and is one of many such intrusive complexes that were emplaced into the continental basement of the Eastern Pontides belt during the pre-Liassic. Its main lithological units include plagioclase peridotite, melagabbronorite, banded gabbro and anorthosite (Phase-I), gabbro-pegmatite dikes (Phase-II), unmetamorphosed banded gabbro (Phase-III), cumulate olivine gabbronorite (Phase-IV), and non-cumulate gabbroic dikes and stocks (Phase-V). The contact relations between these units are gradational or intrusive, with the peridotites (Phase-I) enveloping the cumulate gabbronorites (Phase-IV) in the center of the elliptical body, displaying a concentric reverse-zoning pattern. Cr-Al spinel, plagioclase, and olivine are the first crystallizing phases in all cumulate rocks, whereas pyroxene, hornblende, phlogopite, magnetite, and ilmenite represent the intercumulus phases. The existence of hornblende and phlogopite, the high Wo and Cr2O3 contents of clinopyroxene, and the high Fo and NiO contents of olivine indicate that the KUMA units were the near-liquidus fractional crystallization products of hydrous basaltic magma. The Phase-I and Phase-III cumulates are slightly enriched in LILE and LREE, depleted in HFSE and HREE with respect to chondrite and primitive mantle, and show negative Nb, Zr, Hf and Ti anomalies. The Phase-IV cumulate gabbronorites are even more enriched in LILE and LREE and show less depletion in HFSE and HREE in comparison to the earlier phases. The KUMA units formed from high-Al hydrous basaltic magmas, which were derived from partial melting of a previously subduction-metasomatized subcontinental-lithospheric mantle. These magmas underwent crystal fractionation and mineral concentration processes in small magma chamber(s) at shallow crustal levels (< 5 kbar).

Maden, Nafiz; Gelisli, Kenan; Eyuboglu, Yener; Bektas, Osman

The Eastern Pontide Orogenic Belt is one of the most complex geodynamic settings within the Alpine belt. Subduction polarity, which is responsible for the formation of the Eastern Pontide Magmatic Arc, is still under debate because of limited geological, geophysical and geochemical data. This orogenic belt is mainly divided into three subzones depending on lithological characteristics and facies changes as in Northern, Southern and Axial Zones from North to South. These zones are separated from each other by near-vertical faults that display the block-faulting tectonic style of this belt. In this study, the tectonic and crustal structure of the Eastern Pontides, which as yet have not been prospected by using geophysical data, has been investigated with potential field data. The horizontal gradient map obtained from gravity data shows a number of steep and gentle lineaments. It seems that these lineaments E-W, NE and NW-trending correspond to major structural zones of continental crust. Additionally, The Moho depth and Curie point depth variation maps of the Eastern Pontide Orogenic Belt have been computed with the power spectral method of the radial wavenumber carried out by using the fast Fourier transform method. As a result of this method, we estimated that the depths of the Moho and Curie point varied between 29.0 ± 1.2-47.2 ± 1.9 km and 14.3 ± 0.7-27.9 ± 1.4 km, respectively. Our findings indicate that the Moho depth generally increases from north to south in the region. However, the Curie point depth level within the crust has an undulating surface, not a horizontal one.

Eyuboglu, Yener; Bektas, Osman; Pul, Dilek

Geological and geochemical characteristics of the Mid-Cretaceous olistostromal ophiolitic mélange exposed in the southern part of the eastern Pontide magmatic arc indicates that it originally formed during the drifting stage of a back-arc basin (Neotethys). This view conflicts with the popular idea that this ophiolitic mélange represents a typical tectonic mélange or an accretionary prism developed in the fore-arc of the eastern Pontide magmatic arc by northward subduction of Neotethys or Paleotethys during the Cretaceous. This Mid-Cretaceous ophiolitic mélange is composed of the three distinct lithological facies that may reflect a strike-slip cycle - from transtensional to transpressive tectonic regimes - in the deep spreading troughs of pull-apart basins. The lower part of the mélange is represented by redeposited carbonate rocks that occur as an upward thinning and fining sequence. The middle level of the melange comprises basaltic pillow lavas, hyaloclastics, and intercalated pelagic sediments such as radiolarite, mudstone, and red pelagic limestone. The upper part of the mélange is represented by an olistolith-olistostromal facies that includes sandstone, siltstone, marl, and intervening olistoliths and olistostromes - mainly limestone, peridotite-gabbro, and metamorphic blocks derived from the continental shelf and a nearby peridotitic-metamorphic ridge. Trace-element and REE contents of the basaltic rocks belonging to the Mid-Cretaceous ophiolitic mélange show distinct geotectonic settings (IA, WP, MOR) with various enrichment and depletion trends with respect to MORB and chondrite. Moreover, this ophiolitic mélange is overlain by analcime-bearing Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene(?) shoshonitic basalts in the Bayburt-Maden area. These geological and geochemical data imply that mélange formed in the back-arc basin of the eastern Pontide magmatic are.