MINERALIZATION WITHIN THE DIKE/PLUTON TRANSITION OF THE TROODOS OPHIOLITE, CYPRUS

The Troodos Ophiolite, Cyprus, represents a unique opportunity to study the dike/pluton boundary of oceanic crust. Within the Agros Window, decoupling of the sheeted dike/pluton boundary created a crush zone where brittle deformation and hydrothermal mineralization are prevalent (Agar and Kiltgord 1995). A petrographic study of seven samples from a mineralized fault and its associated veins within the transition were surveyed. These samples show varying abundances of deformed epidote, quartz, and sulfide minerals. Deformation textures include extension fractures, cataclasis, and grain boundary migration recrystallization. Crosscutting relationships exhibit a typical three-step sequence of mineralization. Initial epidote/quartz/sulfide minerals exhibit brittle failure including cataclasis. Epidote lined extension fractures infilled with quartz represent the second phase of mineralization. Quartz within and around these veins often displays grain boundary migration recrystallization. The final stage of mineralization is quartz filled extension fractures. This sequence of deformation and mineralization resembles mineralization sequences evident above the crush zone within faults of the sheeted dikes.