The aimof the course is to introduce the basic concepts of the genesis and differentiation of igneous rocks and to understand the processes of formation and evolution of ophiolite clusters. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to respond to applications or research needs in their professional careers or during postgraduate studies.
Phase Diagrams in Geology - Study of phase equilibrium in one, two, three and four component diagrams as a function of pressure, temperature and water (use of petrology software); Petrogenetic processes in the lithosphere and asthenosphere - Partial melting in the crust and mantle - Mantle heterogeneity - Xenoliths and their relationship to the surrounding volcanic rocks - Methodology for studying xenoliths for petrogenetic inference; Formation and evolution of magmas - Classes of magmas and their origin - Magma composition - Magma differentiation, fractional crystallization, contamination, magma mixing; Introduction to the relationship between magmatism and global tectonics - igneous rocks of mid-ocean ridges, island and continental arcs, back-arc basins, fault zones, etc.); Types and members of ophiolite complexes - Tectonites - Cumulate rocks – Isotropic gabbros - Sheeted dyke complex - Basaltic pillow lavas - Ophiolitic mélange. Nomenclature and classification of rocks that make up ophiolitic complexes based on geochemical criteria - Differences and similarities between ophiolitic sequences of divergent and convergent plate boundary environments; Lithospheric plate theory and ophiolites - Earliest historical milestones in the development of ideas about the formation and emplacement of ophiolitic complexes - Modern definition of an ophiolitic complex - Current theories of lithospheric plate behaviour and their relationship to ophiolite complexes - Mechanisms controlling ophiolite emplacement - Magmatic processes in back-arc and fore-arc environments; Description of the main petrogenetic processes for the formation of ophiolite complexes – Mantle source composition - Formation of primary basaltic magma - Primary magma - Differentiation processes - Geotectonic environment of formation - Petrogenetic modelling (Estimation of degree of partial melting for the creation of primary magma using geochemical data and use of modern petrogenetic methods) - Estimation of physico-chemical conditions (examples of geothermal barometry, ways of calculating oxygen fugacity) - The importance of the presence of primary amphiboles - Conditions of metamorphism and metasomatism of the ocean floor - Phenomena of hydrothermal alteration, rodingitization and carbonation - The role of water and CO2 in metasomatic processes - Serpentinization in subduction zones, relation to volcanism and metasomatism; Processing of geochemical models and use of mineral chemical data to determine the geotectonic environment of ophiolite formation - Interpretation of normalized rare earth diagrams and multi-element diagrams - Use of geochemical diagrams for geotectonic classification - Determination of the geotectonic environment using mineral chemical data - Isotopic data as tools for determining the geotectonic environment; Description of the main Greek ophiolitic bodies - Examples from the ophiolites of Vourinos, Pindos, Koziakas, Othrys, Euboea, Gevgeli, Halkidiki, Soufli, Samothrace, Lesvos, Cyclades and Crete - Distinguishing the Greek ophiolitic deposits on the basis of their geotectonic environment of formation; Reference to typical occurrences of ophiolite complexes in the world - Examples from the Troodos (Cyprus), Mirdita (Albania), Semail (Oman), Liguria (Italy), Western Alps, Nicoya (Costa Rica), Teitao (Chile), Smartville (California, U.S.A.), Smartville (California, U.S.A. (California, USA), Betts Cove (Canada), Zambales (Philippines) - Classification based on their formation environment; Mineralization in ophiolitic rocks; Mineralization of PGE group; Fe-Cu-Ni-Co sulphide deposits; Podiform chrome deposits - their relationship to the geotectonic environment of genesis, nickel laterite deposits, talc-magnesite deposits, zinc and tin deposits and their relationship to ocean floor hydrothermal veins.