A group of scientists from China analyzed the composition of soil samples brought back from the far side of the Moon, according to China Central Television.
The lunar soil samples delivered by the “Chang’e-6” mission primarily consist of basalt, breccia, cementite, light-colored rocks, and glassy material. Basalt fragments make up 30% to 40% of the total sample volume. The minerals are mainly pyroxene, plagioclase, and ilmenite, with very little olivine present.
The mineralogical analysis revealed that the primary phase composition of the lunar soil samples is as follows: plagioclase (32.6%), pyroxene (33.3%), and glass (29.4%), with the glass content near the lower limit of samples retrieved during the Apollo missions.
The lunar soil samples delivered by the “Chang’e-6” mission primarily consist of basalt, breccia, cementite, light-colored rocks, and glassy material. Basalt fragments make up 30% to 40% of the total sample volume. The minerals are mainly pyroxene, plagioclase, and ilmenite, with very little olivine present.
The mineralogical analysis revealed that the primary phase composition of the lunar soil samples is as follows: plagioclase (32.6%), pyroxene (33.3%), and glass (29.4%), with the glass content near the lower limit of samples retrieved during the Apollo missions.