Basalts from Mare Crisium

The stratified core sample returned from Mare Crisium by the Luna 24 unmanned space probe is composed primarily of a new variety of subophitic to ophitic basalt with very low contents of TiO₂ and MgO. This consists of clinopyroxene, calcic plagioclase, olivine, and minor amounts of silica, chromite, ulvöspinel, ilmenite, troilite, apatite, and Fe-metal. Granular metabasalts have the same bulk composition, but mineral phases exhibit less compositional variation. Fine-grained impact melts have similar compositions and are apparently derived from these basalts. We conclude that the basalts, which are chemically distinct from the very-low-titanium basalts found elsewhere on the Moon, represent the local surface flows of Mare Crisium.Sparse fragments of an olivine vitrophyre that is low in TiO₂ but high in MgO and approaches the composition of the Apollo 15 green glasses may be derived from patches of dark mantling materials 20 km from the landing site.Now at Department of Geology, University of California at Davis, Davis, Calif., U.S.A.Now at Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.A.