Abstract
The mineralogy, petrography, and differentiation trends of typical tholeiitic basalts of the Hawaiian province, particularly the lavas of Mauna Loa and Kilauea, are discussed in the light of new chemical data on the rocks and their constituent pyroxenes. The analyses reveal the trend of pyroxene fractionation (phenocryst, groundmass) in individual lavas and emphasize the limited range of iron and alkali enrichment with progressive crystallization of liquids of this tholeiitic lava suite.