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**ceagstuntee** · 08-14-2012, 03:34 AM

Quoting from the "Composition of Mars" link.

TES identified two global-scale volcanic units on Mars. Surface Type 1 characterises the Noachian-aged highlands and consists of unaltered plagioclase- and clinopyroxene-rich basalts. Surface Type 2 is common in the younger plains north ... andesites or basaltic andesites The difference between andesite (light coloured) and basalt (darker grey) would explain the differences between the different rocks seen by the Curiosity Rover in the latest panorama, though the lighter coloured rocks appear to have larger crystals. Andesite and basalt sit beside one another on this diagram. Perhaps that should be diorite rather than andesite.

Hmm. Surface Type 2 covers a much larger area of Mars than Surface Type 1. That would give andesite as the most common rock, dominated by Plagiocalse (50-70% albite to 30-50% anorthite). We've seen anorthite in the "genesis rock" on the Moon. The " Thermal Emission Spectrometer" has also seen olivine in Nili Fossae and elsewhere. And grey hematite deposits were seen in abundance at two sites on the planet, the Terra Meridiani site, near the Martian equator at 0° longitude, and the second site Aram Chaos near the Valles Marineris.

In order from largest mineral concentration down, we would have something like:

Plagioclase (between albite and anorthite)
Pyroxene (incl. Albite and Orthopyroxine)
Amphibole
Olivine
Hematite
Quartz

> What ores

Hematite for starters.

08-14-2012, 03:34 AM	#4
ceagstuntee Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 421 Senior Member	Quoting from the "Composition of Mars" link. TES identified two global-scale volcanic units on Mars. Surface Type 1 characterises the Noachian-aged highlands and consists of unaltered plagioclase- and clinopyroxene-rich basalts. Surface Type 2 is common in the younger plains north ... andesites or basaltic andesites The difference between andesite (light coloured) and basalt (darker grey) would explain the differences between the different rocks seen by the Curiosity Rover in the latest panorama, though the lighter coloured rocks appear to have larger crystals. Andesite and basalt sit beside one another on this diagram. Perhaps that should be diorite rather than andesite. Hmm. Surface Type 2 covers a much larger area of Mars than Surface Type 1. That would give andesite as the most common rock, dominated by Plagiocalse (50-70% albite to 30-50% anorthite). We've seen anorthite in the "genesis rock" on the Moon. The " Thermal Emission Spectrometer" has also seen olivine in Nili Fossae and elsewhere. And grey hematite deposits were seen in abundance at two sites on the planet, the Terra Meridiani site, near the Martian equator at 0° longitude, and the second site Aram Chaos near the Valles Marineris. In order from largest mineral concentration down, we would have something like: Plagioclase (between albite and anorthite) Pyroxene (incl. Albite and Orthopyroxine) Amphibole Olivine Hematite Quartz > What ores Hematite for starters.
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