Résumé
Lherzolite at the recrystallization front of the Ronda peridotite massif, a mantle region that experienced pervasive melt migration and melt/rock reaction, hosts pyroxenite composite layers that show an inner transition from Al- to Cr-rich compositions. These particular pyroxenite-peridotite associations record intense processes of pyroxenite melting/replacement and related peridotite refertilization. Al-rich spinel websterite in a composite layer close to the front was generated by melting of former garnet pyroxenite with an evident imprint of primary plagioclase and reaction of this protolith with incoming peridotite melt. These events produced more refractory major element compositions of whole-rock and higher REE contents in clinopyroxene but preserved the characteristic MREE/HREE fractionation and positive Eu anomaly of the garnet pyroxenite protolith. In the waning stages of melt porous flow at the recrystallization front, the parental melts of Cr-rich pyroxenite progressively replaced residual Al-rich spinel websterite partially conserving their original subduction-related affinity. Lherzolite hosting the composite layer was intensely refertilized by melt resulted from garnet pyroxenite replacement. The presence in the refertilizing agent of an important component extracted from garnet pyroxenite induced Eu and Sr positive anomalies, higher FeO* at similar SiO (sub 2) and higher Sm/Yb in these mantle rocks compared to common peridotite from the Ronda massif. Some peculiar geochemical signatures of garnet pyroxenite were thus imparted to highly fertile lherzolite hosting the pyroxenite composite layer by partial melting, melt migration and melt/rock reaction in the Ronda massif. These mechanisms may explain the presence of a garnet pyroxenite component in the source of different types of melt generated in the mantle. However, the efficiency of these processes in transferring the geochemical imprint of garnet pyroxenite to extruded lavas depends on the reactivity of the pyroxenite melt with enclosing peridotite, which may be controlled by prior refertilization reactions similar to those experienced by lherzolite close to the pyroxenite composite layer in Ronda.