Space / lunar-mare-basalt
Facts about Lunar Mare Basalt
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Ilmenite and pyroxene are among the dominant minerals found in lunar mare basalt, distinguishing its composition from typical terrestrial volcanic rock.
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Apollo mission analyses reveal that lunar mare basalt formed under conditions of very low oxygen fugacity, giving it a distinct mineralogy compared to Earth's basalts.
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The relatively low viscosity of lunar mare basalt allowed it to flow across vast distances, creating the smooth, dark plains visible on the Moon's nearside.
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Samples of lunar mare basalt returned by Apollo missions show they are rich in iron and titanium but extremely low in water content.
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Dark volcanic rocks known as lunar mare basalt filled the Moon's impact basins through eruptions occurring roughly 3 to 3.5 billion years ago.