We found that redistribution of rare earth elements (REEs), Th and U into newly-formed minerals during progressive SZM precludes the release of these elements from the down-going ocean crust, which contradicts the common perception in models of slab-dehydration and flux-melting. This suggests that additional processes, such as the involvement of supercritical fluids or hydrous melts formed at depth are required to supply these elements to the mantle wedge for arc magmatism. In addition, the ready release of large ion lithophile elements (LILEs) by different minerals, and the high immobility of REEs in rocks of basaltic protolith indicate that the contribution of altered ocean crust after SZM may not be responsible for the correlated Sr-Nd (Hf) isotope systematics observed in oceanic basalts. That is, subducted ocean crust that has gone through SZM cannot be the major source material for ocean island basalts.