Boninites from the Kopaonik area (Southern Serbia): New evidences for suprasubduction ophiolites in the Vardar zone

Ophiolites represent fragments of oceanic lithosphere located along the main suture zones of the collisional belts. Their study can provide useful data for the geodynamic reconstruction of the collisional belts in order to assess the location, as well as the petrological and geological features, of the fossile oceanic areas. In the Dinaric-Hellenic belt ophiolites are widespread, mainly as huge nappes located along two main, north-south-trending alignments. In the easternmost alignment, corresponding to the Vardar zone, ophiolites are generally interpreted as a lithosphere representative of an oceanic basin located between the Eurasia and Adria plates. However, their petrological features are poorly known and suitable informations about their geodynamic setting are still lacking. The occurrence of boninitic rocks from the ophiolite sequence of Vardar zone is reported in this paper for the first time. This finding will provide useful constraints for the geodynamic evolution of the Dinaric-Hellenic belt.