Geotectonic significance of the Neoproterozoic ophiolitic metagabbros of Muiswirab area,South Eastern Desert,Egypt:constraints from their mineralogical and geochemical characteristics

Petrological and geochemical studies of Neo-proterozoic metagabbros were carried out in the Muiswirab area,South Eastern Desert of Egypt.The Muiswirab area comprises of ophiolitic metagabbroic rocks(MOM),which are tectonically thrusted over a thick pile of metavolcanic rocks and intruded by syn-and post-tectonic granitoid rocks.The whole-rock geochemical variations coupled with chemical compositions of mineral constituents are used to attain the genesis and tectonic evolution of the studied metagabbros.The geothermobarometric investiga-tion of the analyzed amphiboles from(MOM)revealed that these metagabbros underwent regional metamorphism under lower to upper greenschist facies(biotite zone)conditions(at a temperature of 450 to 500℃and pressure of 1-3 kbar).Geochemically,the metagabbros(MOM)show tholeiitic affinity and cxhibiting both arc-and MORB-like characters as evidenced by their clinopyrox-ene compositions and the Ti/V ratios(11.84-31.65),which considered as prominent features of forearc tectonic regime.The geochemical features suggest a probable fractionation of olivine±clinopyroxene±plagioclase as well as insignificant crustal contamination.The parental magma of the investigated MOM rocks seems to be developed in a sub-arc mantle wedge setting due to the enrichments of LILE(e.g..Rb,Ba,Sr,Pb)over HFSE(e.g,Ti,Nb,Y,Zr,Hf,Ta).The studied MOM rocks have lower values of Nb/U relative to MORB and OIB indicating that their geochemical variation produced due to the enrichment of a lithosphere mantle by OIB like components.The ratios of Zn/Fet,La/Sm,Sm/Yb,Th/Yb and Nb/Yb indicate that the MOM rocks represent a fragment of oceanic crust originated at a supra-subduction zone environment and their parental magma developed by 5-30%partial melting of a spinel lherzolite mantle rather than pyroxenite in an island arc setting and conformable with most of the Egyptian ophiolitic metagabbros.

Constraints of Mantle and Crustal Sources Interaction during Orogenesis of Pre-and Post-collision Granitoids from the Northern Arabian-Nubian Shield:A Case Study from Wadi El-Akhder Granitoids,Southern Sinai,Egypt

The Egyptian older and younger granitic rocks emplaced during pre-and post-collision stages of Neoproterozoic Pan-African orogeny,respectively,are widely distributed in the southern Sinai Peninsula,constituting 70% of the basement outcrops.The Wadi El-Akhder,southwestern Sinai,is a mountainous terrain exposing two granitoid suites,namely the Wadi El-Akhder Older Granites(AOG)and the Homra Younger Granites(HYG).The AOG(granodiorites with subordinate tonalite compositions)have geochemical characteristics of medium-K calc-alkaline,metaluminous to mildly peraluminous granitoids formed in an island-arc environment,which are conformable with well-known Egyptian older granitoids rocks,whereas the HYG display calc-alkaline to slightly alkaline nature,peraluminous syeno-,monzogranites and alkali feldspar granites matching well those of the Egyptian younger granites.With respect to the AOG granitoids,the HYG granites contain lower Al_(2)O_(3),FeO^(*),MgO,MnO,CaO,TiO_(2),Sr,Ba,and V,but higher Na_(2)O,K_(2)O,Nb,Zr,Th,and Rb.The AOG are generally characterized by enrichment in LILE and LREE and depletion in HFSE relative to N-MORB values(e.g.,negative Nb and Ta anomalies).The geochemical features of the AOG follow assimilation-fractional crystallization(AFC)trends indicative of extensive crustal contamination of magma derived from a mantle source.The chemical characteristics of the AOG are remarkably similar to those of subduction-related granitoids from the ArabianNubian Shield(ANS).The compositional variations from monzogranites through syenogranites to alkali feldspar granite within HYG could not be explained by fractional crystallization solely.Correlating the whole-rock composition of the HYG to melts generated by experimental dehydration melting of meta-sedimentary and magmatic rocks reveals that they appear to be derived by extended melting of psammitic and pelitic metasediments,which is similar to the most of younger granitic suites in the ANS.