Sediment recycling by continental subduction indicated by B-Hf-Pb-Nd isotopes from Miocene–Quaternary lavas in the northern margin of Tibet

Although it has been argued that sediment recycling plays an important role in the differentiation of the continental crust, boron (B) isotopic data does not support a direct input of subducted sediments into arc magmas. This raises questions about the viability of sediment recycling as a process in the differentiation of continental crust. Here, we report B isotopic data from Miocene–Quaternary lavas derived from different sources in the northern margin of Tibet. These lavas have high B contents and negative δ11B values close to those of continental sediments. Strongly peraluminous rhyolites have the highest B (93 to 1559 ppm) contents with negative δ11B (−9.7 to −17.9) values. Adakitic dacites and trachyandesites exhibit the lowest B (18 to 29 ppm) contents with markedly negative δ11B (−12.0 to −35.7) values whereas olivine leucitites have B (37.2 to 59.3 ppm) contents with negative δ11B (−8.3 to −15.6) values. These lavas also have enriched Hf-Pb-Nd isotopic compositions similar to those of sediments. This data, combined with numerical modelling and geophysical and tectonic data for Cenozoic continental subduction in the northern margin of Tibet, indicates that: (1) the strongly peraluminous rhyolites were generated by partial melting of mica-bearing continental sedimentary rocks subducted to the depth of mid-to-lower crust; (2) adakitic lavas were derived by partial melting of sediment-bearing thickened lower crust underwent dehydration and eclogites-facies metamorphism; and (3) olivine leucitites were generated by partial melting of enriched mantle metasomatized by sediment-bearing eclogite-facies crust-derived melts. Thus, at continental convergent margins, continental subduction is an important mechanism for sediment recycling and the evolution of continental crust.