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Abstract. Numerous studies have revealed genetic similarities between Tethyan ophiolites and oceanic “proto-arc” sequences formed above nascent subduction zones. The Semail ophiolite (Oman–U.A.E.) in particular can be viewed as an analogue for this proto-arc crust. Though proto-arc magmatism and the mechanisms of subduction initiation are of great interest, insight is difficult to gain from drilling and limited surface outcrops in marine settings. In contrast, the 3–5 km thick upper-crustal succession of the Semail ophiolite, which is exposed in an oblique cross section, presents an opportunity to assess the architecture and volumes of different volcanic rocks that form during the proto-arc stage. To determine the distribution of the volcanic rocks and to aid exploration for the volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits that they host, we have remapped the volcanic units of the Semail ophiolite by integrating new field observations, geochemical analyses, and geophysical interpretations with pre-existing geological maps. By linking the major-element compositions of the volcanic units to rock magnetic properties, we were able to use aeromagnetic data to infer the extension of each outcropping unit below sedimentary cover, resulting in a new map showing 2100 km2 of upper-crustal bedrock. Whereas earlier maps distinguished two main volcanostratigraphic units, we have distinguished four, recording the progression from early spreading-axis basalts (Geotimes), through axial to off-axial depleted basalts (Lasail), to post-axial tholeiites (Tholeiitic Alley), and finally boninites (Boninitic Alley). Geotimes (“Phase 1”) axial dykes and lavas make up ∼55 vol % of the Semail upper crust, whereas post-axial (“Phase 2”) lavas constitute the remaining ∼45 vol % and ubiquitously cover the underlying axial crust. Highly depleted boninitic members of the Lasail unit locally occur within and directly atop the axial sequence, marking an earlier onset of boninitic magmatism than previously known for the ophiolite. The vast majority of the Semail boninites, however, belong to the Boninitic Alley unit and occur as discontinuous accumulations up to 2 km thick at the top of the ophiolite sequence and constitute ∼15 vol % of the upper crust. The new map provides a basis for targeted exploration of the gold-bearing VMS deposits hosted by these boninites. The thickest boninite accumulations occur in the Fizh block, where magma ascent occurred along crustal-scale faults that are connected to shear zones in the underlying mantle rocks, which in turn are associated with economic chromitite deposits. Locating major boninite feeder zones may thus be an indirect means to explore for chromitites in the underlying mantle.

Over four decades of research on the Semail ophiolite (Oman-U.A.E.) has greatly influenced our understanding of processes occurring at fast-spreading ocean ridges. While the well-developed sheeted dike complex and comagmatic lower pillow lavas indicate that the early Semail crust formed at a spreading axis, the precise tectonic setting of this axis-whether true mid-ocean ridge, back-arc or "proto"-arcis contentious. This is largely because the tectonic implications of the geochemistry of the main axial volcanic unit (Geotimes/V1) are disputed. We bypass this hurdle by focusing on intercalations of primitive lavas that are depleted relative to mid-ocean-ridge basalt and that are deeply intercalated within the early Geotimes axial volcanostratigraphy throughout the northern ophiolite. Our analyses of these intercalations show a clear trace-element influence from a subducting slab. We interpret the depleted axial melts to have formed by localized, high-degree partial melting assisted by a high-Th/Nb slab fluid. These results confirm a deep subduction influence on the entire axial spreading phase of the world's largest ophiolite. Considered in the context of later hydrous and boninitic Alley volcanism and of insight from modern tectonic environments, our observations support a proto-arc, subduction-initiation setting for the origin of the Semail ophiolite.

Abstract. Recent studies have revealed genetic similarities between Tethyan ophiolites and oceanic proto-arc sequences formed above nascent subduction zones. The Semail ophiolite (Oman–U.A.E.) in particular can be viewed as an analogue for this proto-arc crust. Though proto-arc magmatism and the mechanisms of subduction-initiation are of great interest, insight is difficult to gain from drilling and limited surface outcrops in submarine fore-arcs. In contrast, the Semail ophiolite, in which the 3–5 km thick upper-crustal succession is exposed in an oblique cross-section, presents an opportunity to assess the architecture and volumes of different volcanic rocks that form during the protoarc stage. To determine the distribution of the volcanic rocks and to aid exploration for the volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits that they host, we have re-mapped the volcanic units of the Semail ophiolite by integrating new field observations, geochemical analyses and geophysical interpretations with pre-existing geological maps. By linking the major element compositions of the volcanic units to rock magnetic properties, we were able to use aeromagnetic data to infer the extension of each outcropping unit below sedimentary cover, resulting in in a new map showing 2100 km2 of upper-crustal bedrock. Whereas earlier maps distinguished two main volcanostratigraphic units, we have distinguished four, recording the progression from early spreading-axis basalts (Geotimes) through to axial to off-axial depleted basalts (Lasail), to post-axial tholeiites (Tholeiitic Alley) and finally boninites (Boninitic Alley). Geotimes (Phase 1) axial dykes and lavas make up ~55 vol% of the Semail upper crust, whereas post-axial (Phase 2) lavas constitute the remaining ~ 45 vol % and ubiquitously cover the underlying axial crust. The Semail boninites occur as discontinuous accumulations up to 2 km thick at the top of the sequence and constitute ~ 15 vol % of the upper crust. The new map provides a basis for targeted exploration of the gold-bearing VMS deposits hosted by these boninites. The thickest boninite accumulations occur in the Fizh block, where magma ascent occurred along crustal-scale faults that are connected to shear zones in the underlying mantle rocks, which in turn are associated with economic chromitite deposits. Locating major boninite feeder zones may thus be an indirect means to explore for chromitites in the underlying mantle.

Pressure fundamentally influences these processes and is a necessary parameter to know for many of the models and tools we use to describe and investigate them (e.g., Jupp & Schultz, 2004;Monecke et al., 2014). Despite this necessity, few methods are available for estimating paleodepths of seawater in ancient, open ocean volcanic terranes (Monecke et al., 2014). This paper aims to present an improved paleobathymetric approach for ancient seafloor lava eruptions and to apply it to the archetypal Samail (Oman-UAE) and Troodos (Cyprus) ophiolites.For submarine volcanic terranes that accumulated below storm wave base, the three most promising lines of paleobathymetric evidence are the sedimentary record (e.g., pelagic carbonates indicating depths shallower than the carbonate compensation depth (CCD); Robertson, 2004), fluid inclusion evidence (e.g., in inclusions trapped in minerals formed at the seafloor; Spooner, 1980), and the concentrations of volatiles dissolved in volcanic glasses, which are partly dependent on pressure during quenching (Roberge et al., 2005). In the following, we determine the dissolved H 2 O concentrations and maximum permissible CO 2 concentrations of volcanic glasses from the Samail ophiolite, and interpret these in terms of paleodepths of eruption together with a similar, recently published data set from the Troodos ophiolite (Woelki et al., 2020). We then compare these predictions to sedimentary and fluid inclusion evidence from both ophiolites, finding