MINERALOGY OF THE MAFIC ANOMALY IN THE SOUTH-POLE AITKEN-BASIN - IMPLICATIONS FOR EXCAVATION OF THE LUNAR MANTLE

The mineralogy of South Pole-Aitken Basin [SPA] (the largest confirmed impact basin on the Moon) is evaluated using five-color images from C lementine. Although olivine-rich material as well as basalts rich in c linopyroxene are readily identified elsewhere on the farside, the domi nant rock type observed across the interior of SPA is of a very noriti c composition. This mineralogy suggests that lower crust rather than t he mantle is the dominant source of the mafic component at SPA. The la ck of variation in observed noritic composition is probably due to bas in formation processes, during which extensive melting and mixing of t arget materials are likely to occur.