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Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 2003; v. 218; p. 517-539;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.218.01.27
© 2003 Geological Society of London

Regional Occurrence of Ophiolites and Geodynamics

Tethyan- and Cordilleran-type ophiolites of eastern Australia: implications for the evolution of the Tasmanides

Catherine V. Spaggiari1,4, David R. Gray2 & David A. Foster3

1 School of Geosciences, PO Box 28E, Monash University, Clayton, Vic. 3800, Australia catherine{at}mail.earth.monash.edu.au
2 School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia
3 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
4 Department of Applied Geology (Tectonics Special Research Centre), Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia c.spaggiari{at}curtin.edu.au

The preservation of diverse ophiolitic rocks in the Tasmanides of eastern Australia reflects a period of complex oceanic crust formation off the east Gondwana margin from c. 560 to 495 Ma. This involved development of oceanic crust possibly at a spreading ridge (now preserved as the c. 560 Ma Marlborough ophiolite, New England Orogen), development of forearc crust in a suprasubduction zone between c. 530 and 515 Ma (Tyennan-Delamerian ophiolites), possible synchronous formation of suprasubduction zone crust further outboard (southern New England Orogen ophiolites), emplacement of Tyennan-Delamerian ophiolites onto the Gondwana margin at c. 515 Ma, followed by development of new forearc and backarc crust between c. 505 and 495 Ma (Lachlan Orogen). Tasmanide orogenesis has resulted in the production of both Tethyan-type and Cordilleran-type ophiolites. Tethyan types are represented by the Tyennan (Tasmanian) and possibly Delamerian Orogen ophiolites that were emplaced onto the passive continental margin. The Tasmanian ophiolite has been interpreted as having been emplaced as one or more thrust sheets, concurrent with the development of a metamorphic sole. In contrast, Lachlan Orogen ophiolites were emplaced within major fault zones by accretionary processes such as offscraping, underplating, and duplexing via underthrusting and basin closure during Late Ordovician to Silurian times. Cordilleran-type ophiolites, for example the Lachlan Orogen ophiolites, are dominated by disrupted upper oceanic crustal stratigraphies, whereas Tethyan-types tend to be dominated by mantle and gabbroic sequences, or preserve more complete stratigraphies.





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