Analysis of Apollo 14 samples suggests that there are five major geologic constituents present in the immediate landing area: regolith breccias, fragmental breccias, igneous lithologies, granulitic lithologies, and impact-melt lithologies.
The northern paragneiss zone contains lenses of various lithologies, such as calcareous schists, amphibolite, eclogite, peridotite (mostly thoroughly serpentinized) and gabbro.
The colour of a rock or its component parts is a distinctive characteristic of some rocks and is always recorded, sometimes against standard colour charts, such as that produced by the Rock-Color Chart Committee of the Geological Society of America based on the Munsell color system.
To their north and west are the similar lithologies of the Derwenlas Formation which can be seen for example beside the dam of Claerwen Reservoir.
By Permian times, the monsoon circulation is apparent in the lithology.