Basalt is a general term given to fine-grained, dark volcanic rocks composed primarily of plagioclase and pyroxene in subequal proportions. Opaque minerals — usually ilmenite and/or a spinel — are ubiquitous accessory minerals; when present, olivine typically signifies a higher temperature basalt. Traditional definitions have restricted the compositional range to 45 to 52 wt% SiO2 and have specified augitic (high-calcium) pyroxene (e.g. Williams, Turner and Gilbert, 1955). However, in recent years the usage of the term has become more liberal and there are several varieties of basalt — low-titanium lunar mare volcanics, eucrites and terrestrial boninites — in which a low-calcium pyroxene is the dominant ferromagnesian mineral. Also, it is now commonplace to refer to some rocks as basalts that have less than 45% SiO2and contain no plagioclase, e.g. melilite basalts, although strictly speaking such rocks are foidites, and are referred to by the major feldspathoidal mineral, e.g....
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Longhi, J. (1997). Basalt . In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Science. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4520-4_39
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4520-4_39
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