▁of ▁under water ▁vol can ic ▁bas alt ▁suggest ▁that ▁micro b ial ▁activity ▁may ▁play ▁a ▁significant ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁chemical ▁exchange ▁between ▁bas alt ic ▁rocks ▁and ▁se aw ater . ▁ ▁The ▁significant ▁amounts ▁of ▁reduced ▁iron , ▁Fe ( II ), ▁and ▁mang an ese , ▁M n ( II ), ▁present ▁in ▁bas alt ic ▁rocks ▁provide ▁potential ▁energy ▁sources ▁for ▁b acter ia . ▁ ▁Some ▁Fe ( II )- ox id izing ▁b acter ia ▁cult ured ▁from ▁iron - s ulf ide ▁surfaces ▁are ▁also ▁able ▁to ▁grow ▁with ▁bas alt ic ▁rock ▁as ▁a ▁source ▁of ▁Fe ( II ). ▁Fe - ▁and ▁M n - ▁ox id izing ▁b acter ia ▁have ▁been ▁cult ured ▁from ▁weather ed ▁sub marine ▁bas al ts ▁of ▁Lo i hi ▁Se amount . ▁The ▁impact ▁of ▁b acter ia ▁on ▁alter ing ▁the ▁chemical ▁composition ▁of ▁bas alt ic ▁glass ▁( and ▁thus , ▁the ▁ocean ic ▁cr ust ) ▁and ▁se aw ater ▁suggest ▁that ▁these ▁interactions ▁may ▁lead ▁to ▁an ▁application ▁of ▁hydro ther mal ▁v ents ▁to ▁the ▁origin ▁of ▁life . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁ ▁On ▁Earth , ▁most ▁bas alt ▁mag mas ▁have ▁formed ▁by ▁decom pression ▁mel ting ▁of ▁the ▁mant le . ▁Bas alt ▁commonly ▁er u pts ▁on ▁Io ▁( the ▁third ▁largest ▁moon ▁of ▁Jup iter ), ▁and ▁has ▁also ▁formed ▁on ▁the ▁Moon , ▁Mars , ▁Ven us , ▁and ▁the ▁astero id ▁V esta . ▁