Plural of basalt; dark, fine-grained volcanic rocks formed from the solidification of lava.
From Greek 'basanites' (touchstone stone used for testing precious metals). The plural 's' follows standard English noun pluralization of Greek-origin words adapted into English.
Basalt is the most common volcanic rock on Earth—it covers more of the ocean floor than any other rock type, meaning you're standing on a planet mostly paved with this ancient lava.
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