| Abstract: | The New Caledonia ophiolite（Peridotite Nappe） consists primarily of harzburgites,locally overlain by mafic-ultramafic cumulates,and minor spinel and plagioclase lherzolites.In this study,a comprehensive geochemical data set（major and trace element,Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes） has been obtained on a new set of fresh harzburgites in order to track the processes recorded by this mantle section and its evolution.The studied harzburgites are low-strain tectonites showing porphyroclastic textures,locally grading into protomylonitic textures.They exhibit a refractory nature,as attested by the notable absence of primary clinopyroxene,very high Fo content of olivine（91-93 mol.%）,high Mg#of orthopyroxene（0.91-0.93） and high Cr#of spinel（0.44-0.71）.The harzburgites are characterised by remarkably low REE concentrations（<0.1 chondritic values） and display "U-shaped" profiles,with steeply sloping HREE（DyN/YbN=0.07-0.16） and fractionated LREE-MREE segments（LaN/SmN=2.1-8.3）,in the range of modern fore-arc peridotites.Geochemical modelling shows that the HREE composition of the harzburgites can be reproduced by multi-stage melting including a first phase of melt depletion in dry conditions（15%fractional melting）,followed by hydrous melting in a subduction zone setting（up to 15%-18%）.However,melting models fail to explain the enrichments observed for some FME（i.e.Ba,Sr,Pb）,LREE-MREE and Zr-Hf.These enrichments,coupled with the frequent occurrence of thin,undeformed films of Al2 O3,and CaO-poor orthopyroxene（Al2O3=0.88-1.53 wt.%,CaO=0.31-0.56 wt.%） and clinopyroxene with low Na2 O（0.03-0.16 wt.%）,Al2 O3（0.66-1.35 wt.%） and TiO2（0.04-0.10 wt.%） contents,point to FME addition during fluid-assisted melting followed by late stage metasomatism most likely operated by subductionrelated melts with a depleted trace element signature.Nd isotopic ratios range from unradiogenic to radiogenic（-0.80<εNdi≤+13.32） and negatively correlate with Sr isotopes(0.70257≤87Sr/86Sr≤0.70770).Pb isotopes cover a wide range,trending from DMM toward enriched,sediment-like,compositions.We interpret the geochemical signature displayed by the New Caledonia harzburgites as reflecting the evolution of a highly depleted fore-arc mantle wedge variably modified by different fluid and melt inputs during Eocene subduction. |
