Microcontinent subduction and S-type volcanism prior to India–Asia collision

Continental crust has long been considered too buoyant to be subducted beneath another continent, although geophysical evidence in collision zones predict continental crust subduction. This is particularly significant where upper continental crust is detached allowing the lower continental crust to subduct, albeit the mechanism of such subduction and recycling of the upper continental crust remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate Paleocene S-type magmatic and volcanic rocks from the Linzizong volcanic succession in the southern Lhasa block of Tibet. These rocks exhibit highly enriched 87Sr/86Sr, 207Pb/206Pb and 208Pb/206Pb together with depleted 143Nd/144Nd isotope ratios. The geochemical and isotopic features of these rocks are consistent with those of modern upper continental crust. We conclude that these Paleocene S-type volcanic and magmatic rocks originated from the melting of the upper continental crust from microcontinent subduction during the late stage of India–Asia convergence.