The Early−Middle Palaeozoic Oceanic Events Along the Southern European Margin: The Deli Jovan Ophiolite Massif (NE Serbia) and Palaeo-oceanic Zones of the Great Caucasus

Abstract

The paper deals with the Middle Palaeozoic oceanic events on the northern margin of the Eastern Mediterranean Hercynides. The Balkan-Carpathian Ophiolite Belt (BCO) and palaeo-oceanic zones of the Great Caucasus, all framing the East European Platform from the south, are correlated. The BCO palaeo-oceanic complex was widely thought to be a Late Precambrian-earliest Cambrian oceanic thrust sheet (563±5 Ma), a part of the South European Palaeo-oceanic Suture. The geochronological studies carried out on gabbroic series of the Deli Jovan Massif (BCO, NE Serbia), showed, however, that they are of much younger (Early Devonian) age: (a) Sm-Nd mineral isochron age of 406±24 Ma, \epsilonNdT= 8.32±0.39; ^8^7Sr/^8^6Sr_i_n_i_t= 0.702592±0.000160; and (b) U-Pb SHRIMP zircon age, 405.0±2.6 Ma. All the studied gabbroic rocks represent high-alumina (19-24.5% Al_2O_3) gabbro-troctolites, originating from shallow level ( Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean Hercynides, Palaeozoic oceanic events, northern Balkanides, Great Caucasus, Devonian ophiolite