Early Paleozoic (ca. 465 Ma) eclogites from Beishan (NW China) and their bearing on the tectonic evolution of the southern Central Asian Orogenic Belt

► The Beishan eclogites were metamorphosed under P-T conditions of 660 °C and >12 kbar. ► Eclogite facies metamorphism took place at 465 ± 10 Ma. ► Eclogites and associated rocks have suffered the same metamorphic episode at 886 ± 4 Ma. ► Arcs and microcontinents were progressively accreted to the Tarim craton during the Early Paleozoic.