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New radiolarian ages show that the island arc-related Acoje block of the Zambales Ophiolite Complex is possibly of Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous age. Radiometric dating of its plutonic and volcanic-hypabyssal rocks yielded middle Eocene ages. On the other hand, the paleontological dating of the sedimentary carapace of the transitional mid-ocean ridge – island arc affiliated Coto block of the ophiolite complex, together with isotopic age datings of its dikes and mafic cumulate rocks, also yielded Eocene ages. This offers the possibility that the Zambales Ophiolite Complex could have: (1) evolved from a Mesozoic arc (Acoje block) that split to form a Cenozoic back-arc basin (Coto block), (2) through faulting, structurally juxtaposed a Mesozoic oceanic crust with a younger Cenozoic lithospheric fragment or (3) through the interplay of slab rollback, slab break-off and, at a later time, collision with a microcontinent fragment, caused the formation of an island arc-related ophiolite block (Acoje) that migrated trench-ward resulting into the generation of a back-arc basin (Coto block) with a limited subduction signature. This Meso-Cenozoic ophiolite complex is compared with the other oceanic lithosphere fragments along the western seaboard of the Philippines in the context of their evolution in terms of their recognized environments of generation. Image 1 • Multiple ages are reported for the Zambales Ophiolite Complex. • Formation involved subduction, slab rollback and continent fragment subduction. • Western seaboard of the Philippines is floored by Mesozoic lithospheric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remnants of a Cretaceous lithosphere are found at the peripheries of the West Philippine Basin. These Mesozoic fragments preserve arc affinity and include the Amami Plateau, the East Halmahera Ophiolite and the ophiolites along the eastern margin of the Philippine archipelago. The eastern margin of the Philippines is composed of Early to Late Cretaceous ophiolites and ophiolitic complexes that exhibit strong subduction imprints. The early Late Cretaceous Samar Ophiolite in the central Philippines forms part of this eastern belt. Recent surveys in southern Samar revealed the presence of peridotites, gabbros, and massive and pillowed flows of the Samar Ophiolite. Major, trace and rare earth element signatures of the volcanic rock samples indicate moderate to strong subduction-related influences and formation in an island arc setting. In contrast to other similarly-aged ophiolites along the eastern margin of the archipelago, those to the north of Samar Island exhibit weak to almost mid-oceanic ridge characteristics. These differences in the geochemical signatures of the ophiolites and ophiolitic complexes along eastern Philippines require a re-evaluation of a previous model suggesting that these ophiolites originated from a single oceanic lithosphere, possibly the proto-Philippine Sea Plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cenozoic sedimentary sequences of southern Samar Island in eastern Philippines were examined to understand the unroofing history of an ancient arc terrane. Petrographic and geochemical data revealed varying degrees of inputs from the ophiolite basement and differences in modal compositions. The sedimentary units are mostly made up of lithic fragments. The Late Oligocene to Early Miocene Daram Formation contains more chert and volcanic fragments whereas the late Middle Miocene to Early Pliocene Catbalogan Formation is dominantly composed of ultramafic components. These variances are correspondingly reflected in the geochemical signatures of these two sedimentary formations. The Catbalogan Formation clastic rocks have higher volatile-free MgO and Fe 2 O 3 values (average: 8.4% for both oxides) compared to the Daram Formation samples (average: 5.1 and 6.3%, respectively). Geochemical variations are also reflected in the Co, Cr and Ni values: the Catbalogan Formation samples reflect higher concentrations (Co: 15–57 ppm; Cr: 231–1094 ppm; Ni: 84–484 ppm) compared to the Daram Formation samples (Co: 24–32 ppm; Cr: 234–418 ppm; Ni: 212–323 ppm). These observations suggest that the Daram Formation eroded and transported more of the crustal portions of the ophiolite, while the younger Catbalogan Formation represents a later exhumation and subsequent erosion of the ultramafic section. An oceanic island arc (OIA) setting is proposed for the two formations based on several tectonic discrimination diagrams (e.g., Th-La-Sc, La vs. Th). The OIA signature is further supported by their smooth chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns with no obvious Eu anomaly as well as LREE enrichment which are typical of sediments deposited in OIA setting. Based on the dominantly ophiolitic provenance of the Daram and Catbalogan formations, the post-emplacement history of the nearby Samar Ophiolite is constrained during the Late Oligocene to Early Pliocene period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Antique Ophiolite Complex exposed along the western side of Panay Island, central Philippines was derived from the Jurassic to Cretaceous proto-South China Sea oceanic leading edge of the Palawan microcontinental block. The subduction and ultimate closure of this ocean basin resulted in the emplacement and exposure of this lithospheric fragment along the collisional boundary of the microcontinental block and the oceanic- to island arc-affiliated Philippine mobile belt. The ophiolite complex has volcanic rocks having normal- to transitional mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) to island arc tholeiitic (IAT) geochemistry consistent with the transitional MORB–IAT characteristics of its peridotites. The chromitites manifest subduction signature suggestive of the involvement of water in its generation. All of these would be consistent with generation in a supra-subduction zone environment, specifically in a subduction-related marginal ocean basin. The collision of the Palawan microcontinental block with the Philippine mobile belt along western Panay resulted, aside from ophiolite emplacement, into arc curvature, island rotation, serpentinite diapirism and thrusting along the forearc side. The offshore bathymetric expression of the microcontinental block along the collision zone shows the leading edge of this oceanic bathymetric high to have spread laterally. This is indicative of its being buoyant resulting to non-subduction as supported by available earthquake hypocenter data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]