RegolithProspecting — mapped / surveyed

Iron Oxide Regolith (Martian Soil)

Global — regolith covers entire Martian surface

Natural-color panorama of rust-red, iron-oxide-rich Martian rock and regolith in Jezero Crater — Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS (Perseverance Mastcam-Z)

Estimated Quantity

~15–19 wt% iron oxides (Fe₂O₃) by APXS; rust color from nanophase ferric oxide dust

APXS bulk-soil data from Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance (Fe₂O₃ ≈ 15–19 wt%; an earlier '~43%' figure conflated total Si+Fe oxides)

As of 2021-01-01

Location & ISRU Feasibility

Where

Global (basaltic regolith blankets the surface; reference composition from Rocknest soil, Gale Crater 5.4°S 137.8°E)

Extraction feasibility

Moderate feasibility

Everywhere and trivially collected at any landing site, but turning it into structural material needs high-energy processing (furnace sintering ~1000–1100°C), and it is unusable for crops until perchlorates are removed.

Extraction technology

Proposed furnace/sinter 'space bricks' (lab studies on simulant report up to ~45 MPa) and carbothermic metal reduction; composition characterized in situ by rover APXS; no in-situ processing demonstrated on Mars.

Overview

The iconic rust-red color of Mars is caused by iron oxide in the regolith — primarily nanophase ferric oxides. APXS instruments on multiple rovers have quantified composition. Martian regolith is remarkably consistent globally: ~40-45% SiO2+Fe2O3, ~10% MgO, ~7% CaO with trace sulfur and chlorine. While unsuitable as-is for agriculture (perchlorates), regolith sintered at 700°C could form structural bricks without any binding agent.

ISRU Application

Structural material for 3D-printed habitats (analogous to terrestrial sintered bricks), iron extraction for manufacturing, thermal mass for passive heating

Sources

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

Confidence: high · Last verified 2026-06-01

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