Contrasting zircon and garnet behaviors during metamorphic transformation from eclogite to granulite facies: Constraints from orogenic metabasites from North Qaidam in northern Tibet

•Two generations of garnet under eclogite and granulite facies conditions were identified.•Zircon cores and rims grew under eclogite and granulite facies conditions, respectively.•Garnet and zircon have different behaviors under eclogite and granulite facies conditions.•The metabasites experienced a clockwise P-T-t evolution with an increase of metamorphic thermal gradients.•HREE zircon/garnet partitioning for a direct link between metamorphic zircon and garnet was evaluated.