O campo vulcânico Patagônico é composto pelo vulcanismo datado do Quaternário ao Cretáceo e está amplamente distribuído no ambiente geotectônico de extra back-arc continental. Onze vulcões associados à ocorrência de xenólitos mantélicos estão situados dos 36°13’S aos 44°52’S. Estes vulcões são dominantemente compostos por basanitos e a basaltos alcalinos, que são divididos em dois grupos com base em aspectos petrográficos, geoquímicos e isotópicos. (Grupos I e II). Estes Grupos estão relacionados a fontes mantélicas similares, mas foram submetidos a diferentes processos metassomáticos. Os Grupos I e I foram gerados a partir de baixas taxas de fusão a partir de uma fonte mantélica do tipo OIB na zona de estabilidade da granada, mas o Grupo II tem características de manto enriquecido (EMII) possivelmente herdadas de um agente metassomático relacionado à zona de subducção, enquanto que o Grupo I demonstra assinatura geoquímica de magmas tipo OIB relacionados a fontes mantélicas ricas em flogopita. Os basaltos alcalinos do vulcão Agua Poca (37º01’S - 68º07’W) pertencem ao Grupo II e são traquibasaltos. O vulcão Agua Poca é definido é piroclástico monogenético, é composto por intercalações de camadas de spatter e cinder, hospeda xenólitos mantélicos e está localizado a oeste da Província de La Pampa, no extremo norte da Argentina. As amostras de xenólitos mostram textura protogranular, protogranular a porfiroclástica, porfiroclástica e porfiroclástica a equigranular e são compostos por olivina (fosterita), ortopiroxênio (enstatita), clinopiroxênio (diopsídio) e espinélio (sp). Os xenólitos estudados são peridotitos da fácies espinélio e piroxenitos anidros em basaltos alcalinos do Pleistoceno com #Mg em rocha total de 89 a 91. As assinaturas geoquímicas desses xenólitos mostram correlação negativa entre os principais óxidos quando dispostos contra o #Mg e estão empobrecidos em elementos incompatíveis em relação ao manto primitivo (MP). Os xenólitos do vulcão Agua Poca são caracterizados pelo empobrecimento de ETRP e ETRM normalizados para o MP e pelo fracionamento de ETRL em relação aos ETRP (CeN/YbN = 0,15-0,5), com exceção da amostra HAP10 (1,46). Esse comportamento indica que os xenólitos do terreno Cuyania são o resultado de 1 a 10% de fusão do DMM (Manto Depletado) ou de 8 a 17% do MP (Manto Primitivo). Em geral, os peridotitos mostram anomalias positivas de Ba, U, Ta, Pb, Zr e Ti; e anomalias negativas de Rb, Th, Nb, La e Y, enquanto que os piroxenitos mostram anomalias positivas de Ba, U, Ta e Pb; e anomalias negativas de Th, Nb, La, Zr, Hf, Ti e Y. Curvas de mistura calculadas para o resíduo de fusão do MP/DMM com a composição de fluídos/sedimentos derivados de ambientes de subducção indicam interação do manto com até 3% de fluídos/sedimentos. As razões 87Sr/86Sr (0,702874 - 0,704999, com média de 0,704035) são muito similares àquelas definidas para peridotitos com fonte tipo OIB. Agua Poca tem razões 87Sr/86Sr, que estão abaixo daquelas definidas para peridotitos metassomatizados (usualmente >0,705). As razões de Nb/Ta sugerem a presença de um reservatório eclogítico refratário subductado fusão parcial gerando líquidos alcalinos com razões Nb/Ta supercondríticas. / The Patagonian Volcanic Field composed of late Cretaceous to Quaternary volcanism is widely distributed in a continental extra back-arc geotectonic environment. Eleven monogenetic volcanoes accompanied with ultramafic xenoliths are situated from 36°13′S to 44°52′S. These volcanoes are dominantly composed of basanite to alkaline basalt, which are divided into two groups, based on mineralogy, geochemical and isotope compositions (Groups I and II). These Groups are originated from the similar subcontinental mantle sources, but were undergone to different metasomatism processes. Groups I and II were generated from low melting degrees of an OIB-like garnet peridotite, but the Group II has enriched mantle (EMII) characteristics possibly inherited from on-going subduction related metasomatism, while Group I demonstrates the OIB-like signature, which might result from phlogopite-bearing in the subcontinental lithosphere. The alkaline basalts from Agua Poca volcano (37º01’S - 68º07’W) belong to the Group II and are trachybasalts. The Agua Poca volcano is a monogenetic pyroclastic volcano composed by intercalation of spatter and cinder layers, host ultramafic mantle xenoliths and is located in the West of the La Pampa Province, Northernmost of Argentine Patagonia. The xenoliths show protogranular, protogranular to porphyroclastic, porphyroclastic and porphyroclastic to equigranular textures, and are composed of olivine (fosterite), orthopyroxene (enstatite), clinopyroxene (diopside) and spinel (sp). The studied xenoliths are anhydrous spinel-bearing peridotite and pyroxenite xenoliths in Pleistocene alkali basalts with whole rock Mg# from 88 to 91. Geochemical signatures of the mantle xenoliths show negative correlation between main oxides against Mg# and depletion in incompatible elements compared to primitive mantle (PM). Agua Poca mantle xenoliths are characterized by flat Sun & McDonough (1989) primitive mantle (PM) normalized HREE and MREE patterns, and depletion of LREE compared to HREE (CeN/YbN = 0.15-0.5), with exception of the HAP10 (1.46) sample. These characteristics suggest that partial melting event is the main process responsible for the generation of these xenoliths. Model calculations suggest that the xenoliths are the result of 1 to 10% of DMM (Depleted Mantle MORB) or 8 to 17% of PM partial melting. Peridotite samples show positive anomalies of Ba, U, Ta, Pb, Zr and Ti; and negative anomalies of Rb, Th, Nb, La and Y, while the pyroxenite samples show positive anomalies of Ba, U, Ta and Pb; and negative anomalies of Th, Nb, La, Zr, Hf, Ti and Y. Mixing curves calculated to mixtures of melting residue of PM/DMM and fluid or sediment compositions related to subduction tectonic setting end members suggest up to 3% of interaction of the fluid sediment on the depleted mantle residue. 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.702874 - 0.704999, with average of 0.704035) are similar to those defined to peridotites with OIB source (87Sr/86Sr = 0.70244 to 0.70502), being close to Depleted Mantle (DM; 87Sr/86Sr = 0.7023 to 0.7032) values. Nb/Ta ratios suggest that Agua Poca xenoliths were undergone to partial melting processes that generated alkaline magmas with superchondritic Nb/Ta ratios.

Le « topsoil » comme outil de restauration écologique des terrains miniers dégradés, consiste à récupérer la couche de sol naturellement riche en matières organiques, semences et micro-organismes (qui définissent le potentiel biologique de restauration), lors d'une opération qui précède l'exploitation minière, puis à l'épandre sur les sites à restaurer. Au coeur desproblématiques de restauration écologique, les topsoils apparaissent à travers la littérature comme une technique efficiente et leur utilisation est abondamment préconisée. Toutefois celle-ci ne date, en Nouvelle-Calédonie, que des années 2000. Les connaissances actuelles locales liées à cet outil sont encore fragmentaires, et les caractéristiques des topsoils, tout comme les résultats obtenus sont hétérogènes. Ce travail de recherche a permis d'améliorer notre compréhension des interactions entre les composantes biologiques des topsoils et les phénomènes intervenant dansleur évolution (banque de graines, micro-organismes, et caractéristiques physico-chimiques). Les résultats obtenus ont montré que l'utilisation des topsoils en restauration écologique peut favoriser la restauration des écosystèmes ultramafiques néo-calédoniens, et pourraient trouver une application dans la conception de nouvelles stratégies de restauration écologiques des terrains miniers dégradés du territoire. Néanmoins, il est également apparu que les topsoils ne peuvent à eux seuls restaurer la totalité de la diversité végétale qui caractérise les substrats ultramafiques du territoire, et doivent donc être associés à d'autres techniques de restauration. / "Topsoil", as an ecological tool of restoration of the mines made in terraces, consist of getting back the layers full of organic matter, seeds and micro-organisms (which define the biological potential of restoration), during a procedure made following the exploitation of the mines, then could be extend to the sites which require some restoration.While the problem of ecological restoration is at the center of the debate, topsoil appears, according to the literature, as an efficient technique and their uses are well recommended. However, they only have been used in New Caledonia since the beginning of the XXI century. The actual knowledge of this specific tool is still incomplete, and the characteristics of topsoil, same as the results, remain inconsistent. The research made around this topic gave us a better understanding of the interaction between the biological components of topsoil and their way of evolving (seeds’ bank, micro-organisms and the physic and chemical characteristics). The results obtained demonstrate that the use of topsoil as an ecological restoration could be beneficial for the restoration of the ultramafic ecosystem of New Caledonia. It could, as well, find a place in the development of new strategies of ecological restoration of mines in terrace of the country. However, it has been shown in another hand that topsoil would not be sufficient to restore the entire vegetal diversity of the ultramafic bedrock of the country. For this reason, it has to be associated with different techniques of restoration.

Ultramafic rocks are abundant in the Earth’s mantle but rare on the surface. Since no in-situ samples from the mantle can be collected, mantle rocks provide knowledge of mechanisms operating in the mantle and large-scale processes that brought them up to the surface. The mantle is considered chemically homogeneous and is dominated by the ultramafic, olivine-dominated rock - peridotite. Peridotites consist of olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and an Al-bearing phase. Increasing PT conditions alter the Al-bearing phase in peridotites, from plagioclase, through spinel to garnet. The Caledonian Orogeny occurred during the Ordovician to the Devonian period after the collision of the paleocontinents Laurentia and Baltica and shaped what is now the Scandinavian Caledonides. During the orogeny, a large scale of orogenic peridotites was tectonically emplaced on the surface. Scandinavian Caledonides are divided into Allochthons and further subdivided into Nappe Complexes. The Seve Nappe Complex (SNC) in the Middle Allochthon is interpreted as a record of Baltica’s outermost margin and exhibits evidence of ultramafic rocks that have gone under high- and ultra-high-grade metamorphism. From a locality in the SNC, near Lejarfjället, Ankarede in Jämtland, samples of an ultramafic rock were collected during field studies. To analyze the minerals’ chemical composition and thereby distinguish the petrographic properties of the rock, the samples were cut into thin sections. This study aims to characterize the aggregates occurring within the Lejarfjället peridotite and establish their possible origins. Thin sections of 30 μm thickness were analyzed in an optical petrographic microscope under plane-polarized light and cross-polarized light. Thin sections of 120 μm were analyzed with electron microprobe analysis. Through analysis, the rock type was identified to be the ultramafic rock peridotite, and more specific dunite, consisting of the mineral olivine, spinel, amphibole, serpentine, chlorite, and orthopyroxene. Further analyses of chemical composition allowed full identification of end members of olivine, orthopyroxene, and spinel. Obtained data indicate that the rock is an orogenic peridotite, and has previously been garnet-bearing, formed at a high pressure of at least 15 kilobars. The remnant of garnet is present as kelyphites, with pressure shadows surrounding the reaction corona and the garnet has been completely replaced with spinel and amphibole which constitutes the groundmass of the aggregates. Visible brittle deformation of the rock indicates that the rock was possibly exposed to seismic activity. The amphibole and chlorite indicate fluid interaction with the rock, pointing to the fact that some sort of metasomatic event has occurred. Serpentine present in the rock indicates hydrothermal reaction at low pressure and temperature conditions while the rock went through exhumation. The rock is interpreted to originate from exhumation in a lithosphere-scale extensional shear zone, similarly to examples described in the literature. / Ultramafiska bergarter dominerar jordens mantel men är sällsynta på ytan. Manteln är kemiskt homogen och domineras av den ultramafiska bergarten peridotit. Peridotiter består av mineralen olivin, klinopyroxen, ortopyroxen samt en aluminium bärande fas. Ökade tryck- och temperaturförhållanden ändrar den aluminium-bärande fasen i peridotit, från plagioklas till spinel till granat. Eftersom det inte går att ta ett bergprov direkt från manteln, ger stuffer av ultramafiska bergarter kunskap om både mekanismer i manteln och vilka storskaliga tektoniska event som tog dem upp till ytan. Den kaledoniska orogenesen inträffade mellan Ordovicium till Devon efter kollisionen av paleokontinenterna Laurentia och Baltica, och formade det som nu är de skandinaviska kaledoniderna. Under orogenesen pressades peridotiter upp från manteln, och är därmed utbredda längs den svenska fjällkedjan. De skandinaviska kaledoniderna är uppdelade i alloktoner och vidare i skollkomplex. Seveskollkomplexet i den mellersta alloktonen visar på ultramafiska bergarter som har utsatts för hög- och ultrahöggrads metamorfos. Ett ultramafiskt bergprov togs från Seveskollan vid Lejarfjället, Ankarede i Jämtland, under fältstudier. Syftet med denna studie är att identifiera aggregat i en peridotit från Lejarfjället och att försöka identifiera dess ursprung. För att analysera bergartens kemiska komposition och därmed urskilja de petrografiska egenskaperna gjordes tunnslip av provet. Tunnslip på 30 μm analyserades i ett optiskt petrografiskt mikroskop under plan polariserat och kors polariserat ljus. Tunnslip på 120 μm analyserades med hjälp av elektronmikrosond analys. Genom analys kunde bergarten identifieras att vara den ultramafiska bergarten peridotit, och mer specifikt en dunit. Provet består av mineralen olivin, serpentin, amfibol, spinel, orthopyroxen, och klorit. Vidare analys av kemisk komposition möjliggjorde fullständig identifikation av subgrupper av olivin, orthopyroxen, och spinel. Analys av data indikerar att bergarten är en orogen peridotit som tidigare varit granat-bärande, och har därmed formats vid minst 15 kilobar tryck. Granat saknas helt i bergarten men den typiska isometriska formen av kristallerna är intakta med tryckskuggor runtom. Avsaknaden av granat gör att kristallerna är kelyfiter av granat med en grundmassa bestående av spinel och amfibol. Synlig spröd deformation av bergartsprovet indikerar att stenen vid någon tidpunkt utsattes för seismisk aktivitet. Amfibol och klorit indikerar att en fluid har reagerat med stenen och orsakat metasomatism. Serpentin visar på hydrotermal reaktion vid låga tryck- och temperaturförhållanden på vägen upp från manteln. Deformationen av peridotiten tyder på att den formades i en litosfärisk skjuvningszon i jämförelse med liknande exempel beskrivna i litteraturen.

A neutron activation analysis procedure for the simultaneous determination of Au, Pd and Ir, and separate determination of Os is described and applied to the determination of these metals in the Mount Albert ultramafic pluton, Quebec. The Mount Albert is an alpine-type ultramafic body whose petrography, geology and geochemistry has been discussed in some detail by MacGregor (1962, 1964). It consists mainly of serpentinized dunite and peridotite. However, it is distinguished by the presence of an eastern lobe which is essentially unserpentinized. In addition to ferromagnesians, two varieties of spinel including disseminated accessory chrome spinel and massive, discordant chromite veins or schlieren are important mineralogical constituents. Twenty samples were analyzed including 5 fresh dunites and peridotites, 8 serpentinized equivalents, 4 disseminated chrome spinels, 1 clinopyroxenite, and 2 massive chromite. The concentrations (in p. p. b.) of average fresh ultramafics and their serpentinized equivalents are:-------------------------------------- ---------------------Pd----Os----Ir----Au------------------------------------------- Fresh rocks------------7.7----7.2--2.5--0.99------------------------------------------- Serpentinized rocks---10----6.6--2.2---2.4-------------------------------------------- The piuton was intruded as a nearly solid mass of olivine and some orthopyroxene with about 15 weight per cent melt. A small concentration of the precious metals, a factor of 2 to 3, in the melt relative to crystalline phases appears to have occurred. The disseminated chrome spinel and massive chromite appear to concentrate the precious metals. In particular, Os and Ir content of the massive chromite is approximately 10 times that of fresh or serpentinized whole rocks. There is little change in average precious metal content with serpentinization. Pd shows a slight increase, and Ir and Os slight decreases in concentration with degree of serpentinization. Only Au appears significant to be enriched in serpentinized rocks where a twofold increase occurs. The variation in precious metal content of all four metals increase when the rocks are serpentinized: When normalized to chondrite meteorites, the precious metal data give fractionation trends similar to that of average chondrite. These trends are compatible with a model in which alpine ultramafics are regarded as residua from the partial melting of parental material of approximately chondritic composition. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Natural gas, primarily methane (CH4), is produced in substantial amounts in ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems. These systems could also generate oil (heavier hydrocarbons) and the first building blocks of life (prebiotic molecules). In the presence of iron bearing minerals, serpentinisation reactions generate H2. Subsequently, CH4 could be synthesised by Fischer-Tropsch Type (FTT) reaction (4H2 + CO2 → CH4 + 2H2O) which is an abiotic process. This has lead to the idea of abiotic formation of larger organic molecules. Both thermodynamics and laboratory work support this idea, yet field data have been lacking. This study focuses on determining the organic content of fluids from ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) and the origin of the compounds. Fluids were collected from the Lost City, Rainbow, Ashadze and Logatchev vent fields during the EXOMAR (2005), SERPENTINE (2007), MoMARDREAMnaut (2007) and MOMAR08-Leg2 (2008) cruises conducted by IFREMER, France. A SBSE-TD-GC-MS technique was developed and used to extract, concentrate, separate and identify compounds in the fluids. Hydrothermally derived compounds appeared to consist mainly of hydrocarbons and O-bearing molecules. In addition, some amino acids were detected in the fluids by ULPC-ESI-QToF-MS but their origin will need to be determined. The organic content of the Rainbow fluids did not show intra field variability unlike differences could be noted over the years. In order to address the question of the source of the molecules, compound specific carbon isotopic analyses were carried out and completed with a bacterial (Pyrococcus abyssi) hydrothermal degradation experiment. The δ13C data fall in the range of -40 to -30‰ (vs. V-PDB), but individual δ13C values preclude the identification of a biogenic or abiogenic origin of the compounds. The degradation experiment, however, suggests an abiogenic origin of a portion of saturated hydrocarbons whereas carboxylic acids would be biogenic, and aromatic compounds would be thermogenic. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 3: Submitted. Paper 4: Submitted. / MoMARnet

Une solution pour stabiliser les résidus d’extraction minière de latérites nickélifères est de les végétaliser avec des plantes natives de ces sols ultramafiques. L’objectif de cette thèse était d’étudier la réactivité géochimique des stériles miniers nickélifères des massifs de Niquelândia et Barro Alto (Goiás) dans l’optique de mettre en œuvre ce procédé de revégétalisation.La minéralogie et la réactivité des phases porteuses d’ETM dans les stériles ont été déterminées. L’influence du transport et de la composition de la solution au contact du stérile sur la mobilisation du Ni ont ensuite été étudiées par des expériences en colonne saturée et insaturée. Enfin, la comparaison de la composition de la solution circulant dans les sols naturels ultramafiques avec celle circulant dans des parcelles expérimentales de minerais types a permis d’obtenir une première évaluation de l’adaptabilité des plantes aux stériles.Deux phases majeures sont présentes dans les stériles : un matériau garniéritique, principalement composé de smectites ferrifères riches en Ni échangeable (1230 mg kg-1) ; et un matériau limonitique, principalement composé de goethite, pauvre en nickel mobile, mais riche en Cr(VI) échangeable (980 mg kg-1) complexé en sphère interne à la surface des goethites. Goethite et smectite ont servi de modèles pour affiner la détermination des mécanismes impliqués dans la mobilisation du nickel (modélisation PHREEQC). Outre les réactions de complexation de sphère externe et interne cette étude montre que la dissolution des phases minérales (phyllosilicates, oxydes de fer et de manganèse) et l’adsorption des complexes métal-(citrate/EDTA) jouent un rôle important dans la composition de la solution dans les stériles / A way to ensure physical and chemical stability of mining spoils heaps from nickeliferous laterites is to revegetate them using the native vegetation of the ultramafic soils. The aim of this work was to study the geochemical reactivity of nickeliferous mining spoils of Niquelândia and Barro Alto complexes (Goiás) for the further application of such a revegetation process. Mineralogy and reactivity of TME bearing phases in the spoils were determined. The influence of transport and percolating solution composition on the Ni mobilisation were then studied using saturated and unsaturated column experiments. Finally, the comparison of the composition of solution circulating in natural ultramafic soils with those circulating in experimental plots composed of typical mining ores allowed us to have a first evaluation of the adaptability of natural vegetation to spoils. Two main phases are present in the spoils: a garnieritic spoil, mainly composed of ferruginous smectites enriched in exchangeable Ni (1230 mg kg-1); and a limonitic spoil, mainly composed of goethite with little mobile Ni but very high exchangeable Cr(VI) contents (980 mg kg-1) located as outer sphere complexes at the goethite surface. Synthetic goethite and purified smectite served as model phases to refine the characterisation of main reactive mechanisms implied in Ni mobilisation (PHREEQC modelling). Besides outer (smectite, garnierite) and inner (goethite, limonite) sphere complexation reactions, we showed that the dissolution of mineral phases (phylosilicates, goethite and manganese oxides) and the adsorption of metal-citrate or metal-EDTA complexes do have an important role in the composition of the solution circulating in the spoils

Les terrains ultramafiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie, riches en Ni, Co, Mn et Cr sont exploités par des mines à ciel ouvert, ce qui génère l'émission de poussières riches en métaux. L'objectif de ce travail est de développer des approches pour estimer le risque environnemental lié aux poussières émises par les mines à ciel ouvert et les usines de traitement du minerai de nickel. L'estimation de la fraction biodisponible des métaux contenus dans deux fractions granulométriques de poussières, celle inférieure à 100 ~m mobilisable par le vent (F<1 OO~m.) et celle susceptible de pénétrer le système respiratoire (PM1 0), a été réalisée par extractions cinétiques à I'EDTA. L'obtention des PM10 a nécessité la mise au point d'une technique de tri par transport des particules dans un tube horizontal grâce à un flux d'azote. Les extractions cinétiques ont permis de discrimtner trois fractions de métaux: rapidement extraite, lentement extraite et non biodisponibles. Les concentrations en métaux potentiellement biodisponibles sont toujours très élevées et la fraction lentement extraite est toujours la plus concentrée. Pour F<1 00 ~m. les constantes cinétiques de la fraction lentement extraite sont plus faibles pour les poussières de sols miniers que celles de sols forestiers. Les poussières issues de sols miniers seraient alors un réservoir en éléments métalliques biodisponibles à plus long terme. La bioindication lichénique avec traitement en données compositionnelles des concentrations en métaux permet de définir un indice de dispersion des poussières. Cette méthodologie pourrait appuyer les réseaux de surveillance de la qualité de l'air en Nouvelle-Calédonie. / Bioavailability estimation of nickel, cobalt and manganese in dust from ultramafic soils likely to be mobilized by wind and~eve lopment of a bioindication tool using lichen for dust emitted by mining activities in New Caledonia New Caledonian altered ultramafic soils, particularly rich in Ni, Co, Mn and Cr, are extracted by opencast mines which generale dust rich in metals. The objective of th is work is to develop approaches for environmental risk assessment of dust emitted by opencast mines and nickel ore metallurgical plants. The assessmentof metals' bioavailable fraction from two dust granulometrie size fractions, one less than 100 IJm which is mobilizable by wind (F<1001Jm,) and another one able to penetrate the respiratory system (PM 1 0), has been determined by kinetic extraction with EDT A. The development of a new separation deviee based on particle transport subjected to a nitrogen flux in a horizontal tube has been necessary for PM1 0 segregation. Kinetic extractions le ad to the distinction of th ree metal pools: rapidly labile, less rapidly labile and non-bioavailable. Trace metal potentially bioavailable concentrations were always high and the less rapidly labile pool is always the most concentrated pool. Concerning F<1 001Jm, the less rapidly kinetic constant of the less rapidly labile pool is weaker for mining soils than forest soils. F<1001Jm fractions from mining soils representa more durable reserve in trace metal than the same fraction from forest soils. Bioindication using lichens with compositional data analysis of their metal concentration allow defining an indicator of emission dispersion. This methodology could support air quality monitoring networks in New Caledonia.

科学研究費補助金 研究種目:国際学術研究 課題番号:06045017 研究代表者:鈴木 和博 研究期間:1994-1995年度

The Madurai Block is the largest granulite block in Southern Granulite Terrain which lies between Palghat-Cauvary shear zone in the North and Achankovil shear zone in the South. This terrain underwent extreme crustal metamorphism under ultrahigh-temperature metamorphic conditions which provides vital information about the tectonic process of the lower crust. Ultrahigh temperature metamorphism was defined by Harley (1998b) as a subclass of granulite facies metamorphism of crustal rocks in which peak temperature exceeds 900°C at moderate pressures (7-13 kbar) in the deep crust. However, considering the lacunae about the present understanding of ultrahigh temperature metamorphism, the study attempts to identify the heat source and role of lower crustal fluids in high temperature metamorphism. To understand the role of lower crustal fluids, a case study on migmatised metapelites from the Kodaikanal region was done where the metapelites have undergone UHT metamorphism. In-situ electron microprobe Th-U-Pb isochron (CHIME) dating of monazites in a leucosome and surrounding silica saturated and silica under saturated restite from the same outcrop indicate three principal ages which can be linked in with the evolutionary history of these rocks. The monazite grains in leucosome sample show alteration along the rims. These altered rims are experimentally replicated in a monazite-leucosome experiment at 800°C and 200MPa. This experiment, coupled with earlier published monazite-fluid experiments involving high pH alkali-bearing fluids at high P-T, helps to confirm the idea that alkali-bearing fluids, in the melt and along grain boundaries during crystallization, were responsible for the formation of the altered monazite grain rims via the process of coupled dissolution-reprecipitation. Lower crustal fluids during migmatization and high temperature metamorphism from leucosome monazites signify the need for a more precise texturally-controlled geochronological determination. Considering the possible heat source of high temperature metamorphism, the role of associated rocks of charnockites/granites and ultramafics was studied from Kodaikanal and Ganguvarrpatti. The results indicate that both charnockites and granites are not the heat source of high temperature metamorphism. However, to recognize the ultramafic as the potential heat source the sapphirine-bearing high Mg-Opx bearing rock was studied from Kambam town. The sapphirine–cordierite intergrowth pods are characterized by unique texture and peraluminous sapphirine composition suggesting that these domains could represent cryptic pathways through which aluminous melts migrated. The mineral phase equilibria considerations suggest that such peraluminous melts interacted with Mg-rich orthopyroxene in the host granulite at 1025°C and 8 kbar, with subsequent isobaric cooling. The underplated mafic magma (T>1000°C) is suggested as a possible mechanism that provided the heat source for partial melting of lower crust and the UHT metamorphism. Moreover, field evidence of metapelite in direct contact with an ultramafic body was observed resulting into granulite grade metamorphism. The other evidence of ultramafic magma as heat source is though the mineral chemistry and geochemical modeling of the studied ultramafic rocks.