Origin of magmatic harzburgite as a result of boninite magma evolution – An illustration using layered harzburgite-dunite cumulate from the Troodos ophiolite complex

Olivine (Ol) and orthopyroxene (Opx) are the primary liquidus phases of boninite in modern subduction settings and in many ophiolite complexes. It is thus straightforward to expect the formation of harzburgite cumulate resulting from boninite magma evolution. However, such magmatic harzburgite has been rarely studied. Here, we report the results of our study on such harzburgite from the Troodos ophiolite complex. The Troodos cumulate harzburgite (locally lherzolite) is characteristically interlayered with dunite, showing varying thickness on millimeter to decimeter scales, as the result of volumetrically varying multiple pulses of melt injection into the evolving magma chamber. We illustrate the development of the interlayered cumulate by phase equilibrium analysis. The parental melt of each pulse begins to crystallize olivine to form a dunite layer before reaching the Ol-Opx cotectic, along which Ol and Opx coprecipitate to form a harzburgite layer. Periodical replenishment will result in dunite-harzburgite interlayered cumulate. In cases when replenishment may be delayed, the melt along the Ol-Opx cotectic can evolve to the Ol-Opx-clinopyroxene (Cpx) eutectic to form harzburgite with some Cpx or lherzolite. The calculated melts in equilibrium with spinels in the cumulate are characteristic of boninite in major element compositional spaces. The calculated melts in equilibrium with Cpx and Opx in the cumulate share the same as, or identical to, trace element patterns of the Troodos boninite (both glasses and bulk-rock compositions). Petrological modeling of the boninite magma evolution shows a crystallization order of Ol, Opx, Cpx, plagioclase. Our study also emphasizes the importance in considering dunite-harzburgite/lherzolite cumulate when interpreting seismic structure of the crust in subduction settings, especially in rock sequences associated with subduction initiation thought to be indicated by boninite magmatism. •The magmatic harzburgite in Troodos results from boninite magma evolution.•The melts in equilibrium with minerals in the cumulate are similar to boninite.•Petrological modeling shows the crystallization order of boninite evolution.•Crystallization of periodically replenished boninite melts produces the cumulate.