A comparison of fractionation trends in the lunar crust and the Stillwater complex
Trends analogous to those of lunar highland samples are found in a plot of Mg/(Mg+Fe) in mafic minerals against the anorthosite content of coexisting plagioclase for the Stillwater complex. By applying the model derived from such data to lunar highland rocks, major element variations in the 'ferroan anorthosite' suite can be explained. It is concluded that the anorthositic suite may represent the original lunar crust, whereas the Mg-rich suite may have been derived from later high level intrusions.