Mars Exploration Rover Mission
West Spur Rocks: Summary
Pancam:
Massive to finely layered (some layers <1 cm thick)
Mini-TES:
Spectrum similar to basaltic glass
MI: Poorly
sorted clastic rock, with clasts up to to several mm in size
APXS:
Basaltic chemistry, but elevated in P, S, Cl, and Br. Also high in Ni.
Mössbauer:
Little or no primary igneous mineralogy (e.g., olivine, pyroxene), much less ferrous iron than plains basalt, Fe
oxides and oxyhydroxides
RAT: Very weak
and easy to grind
Interpretation:
Aqueously altered volcaniclastic or impact-generated rocks of basaltic composition. High Ni may favor impact
origin.