It is often stated that Earth’s oceanic crust is made up of basalt. The word “basalt” is used because the rocks of the oceanic crust have a “basaltic” composition. However, only a thin surface veneer of oceanic crust is basalt. The deeper rocks of the oceanic crust are generally coarser-grained gabbro. Basalt occurs at the surface of the crust because the rocks there have cooled quickly. At greater depth the cooling rate is slower, and large crystals have time to develop.