Reassessment of continental growth during the accretionary history of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt

We argue that the production of mantle-derived or juvenile continental crust during the accretionary history of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) has been grossly overestimated. This is because previous assessments only considered the Palaeozoic evolution of the belt, whereas its accretionary history already began in the latest Mesoproterozoic. Furthermore, much of the juvenile growth in Central Asia occurred in late Permian and Mesozoic times, after completion of CAOB evolution, and perhaps related to major plume activity. We demonstrate from zircon ages and Nd–Hf isotopic systematics from selected terranes within the CAOB that many Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic granitoids in the accre…