Theunderstandingofthesubduction-relatedprocessesbenefitedbythestudiesofthehigh-pressure(HP)meta-morphicrocksfromthewesternAlps.Themoststimu-latinginformationwasobtainedfromtheinnerpartofthewesternAlpinebelt,wheremosttectonicunitsshowanearlyAlpineeclogite-faciesrecrystallisation.ThisisespeciallytruefortheAustroalpineSesiaZoneandthePenninicDora-Mairamassif.FromtheSesiazone,whichconsistsofawidespectrumofcontinentalcrustlithologiesrecrystallisedtoquartz-eclogite-faciesmin-eralassemblages,thefirstfindingofajadeite-bearingmeta-granitoidhasbeendescribed,supportingevidencethatevencontinentalcrustmaysubductintothemantle.FromtheDora-Mairamassifthefirstoccurrenceofregionalmetamorphiccoesitehasbeenreported,open-ingthenewfertilefieldoftheultrahigh-pressuremeta-morphism(UHPM),whichisnowbecomingtheruleinthecollisionalorogenicbelts.
