MineralProspecting — mapped / surveyed

Volcanic Basaltic Minerals

Widespread — Noachian basalts (ancient), Amazonian volcanic plains

Steep slip face of a dark basaltic sand dune in the Bagnold Dunes, imaged by the Curiosity rover — Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS (Curiosity Mastcam)

Estimated Quantity

~45% pyroxene and olivine in volcanic regions

As of 2021-01-01

Location & ISRU Feasibility

Where

Global volcanic terrains; pyroxene/olivine provinces mapped in Syrtis Major Planum (~9°N 67°E), Tharsis, and Valles Marineris wall rock

Extraction feasibility

Moderate feasibility

Abundant across volcanic plains reachable from candidate landing sites, but producing glass, basalt fiber, or geopolymer requires high-temperature melting and quarrying of consolidated rock rather than loose soil.

Extraction technology

Proposed melt-spun basalt fiber/composites and geopolymer/glass production; mineralogy mapped orbitally by MRO/CRISM and confirmed in situ by rover spectrometers; no processing demonstrated on Mars.

Overview

Mars has extensive basaltic volcanic rocks from multiple epochs. CRISM on MRO has mapped pyroxene and olivine deposits globally. Curiosity found high-silica rocks in Gale Crater suggesting ancient hydrothermal activity. Phyllosilicates (clay minerals) found by OMEGA/Mars Express in Noachian-aged terrains indicate aqueous alteration. These minerals are potential feedstocks for cement analogs and glassy composites that could replace Earth-imported construction materials.

ISRU Application

Silica for glass production, olivine/pyroxene for geopolymer cement without heating, basalt fiber composite materials for structural applications

Sources

[1] NASA / JPL (CRISM mineralogy) — retrieved 2026-06-13
[2] NASA MRO/CRISM — retrieved 2026-06-01

Confidence: high · Last verified 2026-06-01

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