Cenozoic Volcanism in Tibet: Evidence for a Transition from Oceanic to Continental Subduction

Geochronological (K–Ar or ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar), major and traceelement, Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic and mineral chemicaldata are presented for newly discovered Cenozoic volcanic rocksin the western Qiangtang and central Lhasa terranes of Tibet.Alkali basalts of 65–45 Ma occur in the western Qiangtangterrane and represent primitive mantle melts as indicated byhigh mg-numbers [100 x Mg/(Mg + Fe)] (54–65), Cr (204–839ppm) and Ni (94–218 ppm) contents, and relatively lowratios of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0·7046–0·7061), ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb(18·21–18·89), ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (15·49–15·61)and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb (38·42–38·89), and highratios of ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0·5124–0·5127). Incontrast, younger volcanic rocks in the western Qiangtang terrane(