The mineralogy and petrology of the Luna 20 soil sample

Fragments of igneous rocks, glasses and minerals comprise 25 per cent of the studied sample of the Luna 20 soil. Basalt fragments in the Luna 20 soil are similar to basalts from the mare regions of the Moon—in that they are characterized by the presence of iron-rich olivines and pyroxenes. On the basis of the FeO contents of plagioclases, it appears possible to distinguish between the plagioclase of the mare and highland regions of the Moon. Other igneous rock fragments are anorthosite, gabbroic anorthosite and anorthositic gabbro. The most abundant rock type (75 per cent of the sample) is microbreceia. One third of the fragments of microbreccia have undergone thermal metamorphism resulting in the homogenization of phases and the development of poikioblastic and hornfelsic textures. Excluding the basalt fragments, the dominant minerals in the Luna 20 soil are anorthite (An_93–98), magnesium-rich orthopyroxenes, intermediate clinopyroxenes and olivine (< Fa₅₀). Chemically, the Luna 20 and Apollo 16 soil samples are similar, but the Luna 20 soil is slightly depleted in aluminum and calcium and enriched in iron and magnesium relative to the Apollo 16 soils. The slight difference in bulk chemistry of the two soils may be a result of the presence of a minor amount of mare material in the Luna 20 soil and its apparent absence in the Apollo 16 soils.     

The age and petrography of two Luna 20 fragments and inferences for widespread lunar metamorphism

Ages were determined by the ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar method on two metaclastic rocks returned from the lunar highlands north of Mare Fecunditatis by the Luna 20 probe. Both samples gave very well-defined argon retention ages of 3.90 ± 0.04 AE which are indistinguishable from each other within a resolution of 0.02 AE. Both fragments, 22006 and 22007, are highly recrystallized polymict breccias; there is no evidence for loss of radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar, and the age almost surely dates the time of recrystallization. The cosmic ray exposure ages of these fragments are similar and high: 900 million years for 22006, 1300 million years for 22007. 22007 also contains substantial trapped argon with a high ${}^{40}\text{Ar}{}^{36}\text{Ar}$ ratio.The Luna 20 results greatly extend the area of the Moon's surface exhibiting a well-defined record of metamorphism at 3.9 AE. So far, lunar history in the interval 4.6?3.9 AE is not preserved in the ages of surface rocks. This obliteration suggests lunar-wide metamorphic conditions occurring or terminating at this time as a result of major impacts.     

Luna 20 soil: abundance of 17 trace elements

Luna 20 soil is remarkably similar to Apollo 16 soil, in its content of 17 mainly volatile or siderophile elements: Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl, U, and Zn. Like other highland soils, it seems to contain an ancient meteoritic component of fractionated, volatile-poor composition. The bulk soil has a high $\text{Tl}\text{Cs}$ ratio (9.4 × 10^?2), similar to that in Apollo 16 soils (5.4 × 10^?2), but higher than that in samples from other sites (1.1 × 10^?2). It is severely contaminated with Ag, Cd, Re, and Sb, judging from a comparison with a 1.7 mg soil breccia sample from the coarse fraction of the soil.     

Luna 20 soil: abundance and composition of phases in the 45–125 micron fraction

Glass compositions in the Luna 20 soil indicate a minor contribution of mare rocks and a major contribution of highly feldspathic highland material. Glasses with the composition of Highland basalt (anorthositic gabbro or norite) predominate in a range of highly aluminous glasses.The analyses of minerals in the soil show that the highland rocks have a unique assemblage of minerals that can readily be distinguished from the mineral assemblages of either mare or KREEP basalts. The soils are characterized by abundant anorthitic (An_92–99), low-Fe plagioclase. Highly magnesian orthopyroxenes, pigeonites and augites are the most prominent pyroxenes. Unlike mare basalt pyroxenes, clinopyroxenes with intermediate Ca values are not abundant, but extreme iron enrichment towards pyroxferroite does occur. Olivines are more abundant than at other sites and are Mg-rich, low in Ca and Cr. Spinels with compositions approaching MgAl₂O₄ predominate over pleonastes and chromites. Ilmenite and metal are present but not abundant.These data establish the unique nature of the minerals in the highland soils. The mineral compositions are consistent with derivation from a suite of highly feldspathic rocks in which Highland basalt compositions predominate. Some of the mineral data, particularly from the pyroxenes, are suggestive of surface or near-surface processes, rather than plutonic crystallization.     

Composition of the Descartes region,lunar highlands

Analytical data for 40 elements are reported for Apollo 16 soils 60601, 61181, 61501, 64801, 67701, 68501, 65701 and breccias 60015, 60017, 60018, 60315, 61016, 61175, 65015 and 66055. The soils are uniform except for the North Ray Crater rim sample which is richer in Al₂O₃.The breccia components show great diversity in composition. Low-K Fra Mauro basalt, Highland basalt (anorthositic gabbro) and plagioclase are important constituents. Medium-K Fra Mauro basalt is an important constituent of breccias 65015 and 60315.The breccias contain many meteorite fragments and high nickel contents, evidence of the early highland bombardment.Most of the refractory elements (REE, Th, U, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ba) show strong positive correlations, interpreted as resulting from mixing. The REE patterns of the breccias show extreme variation relative to chondrites. There is a good inverse correlation between REE and the europium anomaly ($\text{Eu}\text{Eu}{}^{\mathrm{x}}$). The $\text{La}\text{Yb}$ ratio is constant at 3.1 except in plagioclase. Eu depletion or enrichment is interpreted as due to addition or removal of plagioclase.The Cayley and Descartes formations cannot be distinguished chemically and the differences in surface expression are not due to chemical distinctions. They are interpreted as structural differences, related to early highland cratering and mare basin formation.The complex soil and breccia compositions are related to mixing of four components. These are Low-K Fra Mauro basalt, Highland basalt (anorthositic gabbro) and subordinate plagioclase and Medium-K Fra Mauro basalt. These compositions have been used in a computer program (PETMIX III) to provide fits for the analytical data in terms of the end-members.An average highland composition is proposed, based on the Apollo 15 and 16 orbital data for Si, Al, Mg and Th. Abundances for most other elements are derived from the interelement relationships and correlations, and checked by the mixing program.The resulting composition consists of 69 per cent Highland basalt (anorthositic gabbro) and 31 per cent Low-K Fra Mauro basalt. There is no significant Eu anomaly. The abundances are: SiO₂: 45.2 per cent; TiO₂: 0.68 per cent; Al₂O₃: 24.9 per cent; FeO: 6.3 per cent; MgO: 8.5 per cent; CaO: 13.8 per cent; Na₂O: 0.4 per cent; K₂O: 0.11 per cent; Cr₂O₃: 0.11 per cent; Ba: 144 ppm; Th: 1.8 ppm; U: 0.46 ppm; Pb: 1.6 ppm; Zr: 156 ppm; Hf: 3.2 ppm; Nb: 10.8 ppm; Y: 32 ppm; ΣREE: 85 ppm.     

Visible and near-infra-red transmission and reflectance measurements of the Luna 20 soil

Visible and near-infra-red spectra of chemically analyzed grains of glass and minerals from the Luna 20 sample were compared with diffuse reflectance spectra of the bulk soil. As in the spectra of soil samples from other localities on the Moon, pyroxene contributes two broad absorption features near 1 μm and 2 μm. The soil has a high integral reflectance (or albedo) arising from plagioclase, which appears to be the dominant mineral in the lunar highlands. The Luna 20 soil curve is most similar to the reflectance curves of the non-rayed soils at Apollo 16, in agreement with the generally similar mineralogy of these samples. The average pyroxene composition in the Luna 20 soil, as determined from the absorption bands in the diffuse reflectance spectra, and analyses of single crystals, is more calcic than in the lithic fragments. Thus, the soil appears to have a few per cent of admixed material derived from mare basalts. Comparison of the soil spectrum with telescopic curves of nearby areas reveals a close similarity; however, the Luna 20 sample is slightly less mature than expected. Luna 20 may have sampled subsurface material that is fresher than the regional surface soil, or alternatively, the Luna 20 area may contain an admixture of relatively recently exposed material from a ray crater.     

Major element compositions of Luna 20 glass particles

Major element analyses of nineteen Luna 20 glass particles indicate that most of the Luna 20 glasses have Al₂O₃ contents greater than 21 wt.% and compositions similar to Apollo 10 and Luna 20 rocks and soils. Three of the glass particles have low Al₂O₃ (< 13 wt.%) and high FeO (> 18 wt.%) contents and were probably derived from one of the adjacent maria. The low glass content of the Luna 20 soil indicates that it is relatively young or less mature than most mare soils that have been studied.     

U-Th-Pb measurements of Luna 20 soil

The concentrations of uranium, thorium and lead and the lead isotopic composition of Luna 20 soil were determined. The data indicate that the Luna 20 soil is mainly a mixture of highland anorthosites and low-K basalt, but little KREEP basalt. The U-Th-Pb systematics are discussed in comparison with other lunar soils, especially with Apollo 16 soils which were collected from a ‘typical’ highland region. The data fit well in the Apollo 16 soil array on a U-Pb evolution diagram, and they exhibit excess lead relative to uranium. This relationship appears to be a characteristic of highland localities. Considering the previous observations of lunar samples, we infer that lead enrichment in the soil relative to uranium occurred between 3.2 and 3.9 b.y. ago and that the soil was disturbed by ‘third events’ about 2.0 b.y. ago. A lunar evolution model is discussed.     

The Luna 20 lithic fragments,and the composition and origin of the lunar highlands

Luna 20 soil 22003,1 (250–500 μ) is similar to Apollo 16 soil 61501,47 (250–500 μ) in terms of the percentage of different types of particles. However, among the lithic fragments, the Apollo 16 sample contains a greater percentage of fragments with more than 70 wt. % modal plagioclase and a significantly greater proportion of KREEP-rich particles. Modal analyses of non-mare lithic fragments in Luna 20 and Apollo 11, 14, 15 and 16 indicate that the KREEP-poor highland regions (the bulk of the lunar terrae), though relatively feldspathic, are compositionally inhomogeneous, ranging in plagioclase content from approximately 35 to 100 wt. %. The average plagioclase content lies in the range 45–70 wt.%. Luna 20 pyroxene analyses cluster in two groups, one more magnesian than the other. The groups persist when pyroxene analyses from KREEP-poor noritic, troctolitic and anorthositic lithic fragments from Apollo 11, 14, 15 and 16 and Luna 20 are included. Olivine compositions mimic these pyroxene groups.Within each pyroxene group Cr₂O₃ and TiO₂ decrease as $\text{Fe}\text{(Fe + Mg)}$ increases, suggesting a relationship by fractional crystallization. The two groups suggest that at least two magma compositions were involved. To account for these observations we envisage a Moon-wide magma system in which initial accretionary heterogeneities were imperfectly erased by diffusion and convection. During the cooling of this magma system fractional crystallization was effected by the flotation of plagioclase and sinking of pyroxene, olivine and perhaps ilmenite. The endproduct was an upper layer enriched in plagioclase and a lower layer enriched in mafic silicates. KREEP-rich rocks, which are predominantly noritic in major element composition, may be mechanical mixtures of KREEP-poor norite and material residual after fractional crystallization of the surface magma system.     

Chemical composition of Luna 20 soil and rock fragments

Abundances of 22 elements, including 9 rare earth elements (REE), have been determined by ‘monostandard’ instrumental neutron activation analysis of samples from the Luna 20 soil and in 6 rock fragments, including a crystalline rock of highland origin, a breccia of similar composition, a glass and a feldspar grain. The soil appears to have been contaminated with W and Mo. The REE content of the soil is very low, being close to 2.3 times below the level in the Luna 16 soil. Sampling errors, for most elements, are negligible in the case of analyses performed on one or several tens of mg of soil, but they become significant on crystalline rock fragments in the 1–2 mg range.     

Apollo 12 revisited

We present compositional data for 358 lithic fragments (2-4-mm size range) and 15 soils (<1-mm fines) from regolith samples collected at the Apollo 12 site. The regolith is dominated by mare basalt, KREEP impact-melt breccias (crystalline and glassy), and regolith breccias. Minor components include alkali anorthosite, alkali norite, granite, quartz monzogabbro, and anorthositic rocks from the feldspathic highlands. The typical KREEP impact-melt breccia of Apollo 12 (mean Th: 16 μg/g) is similar to that of the Apollo 14 site (16 μg/g), 180 km away. Both contain a minor component (0.3% at Apollo 12, 0.6% at Apollo 14) of FeNi metal that is dissimilar to metal in ordinary chondrites but is similar to metal found in Apollo 16 impact-melt breccias. The Apollo 12 regolith contains another variety of KREEP impact-melt breccia that differs from any type of breccia described from the Apollo sites in being substantially richer in Th (30 μg/g) but with only moderate concentrations of K. It is, however, similar in composition to the melt breccia lithology in lunar meteorite Sayh al Uhaymir 169. The average composition of typical mature soil corresponds to a mixture of 65% mare basalt, 20% typical KREEP impact-melt breccia, 7% high-Th impact-melt breccia, 6% feldspathic material, 2.6% alkali noritic anorthosite, and 0.9% CM chondrite. Thus, although the site was resurfaced by basaltic volcanism 3.1-3.3 Ga ago, a third of the material in the present regolith is of nonmare origin, mainly in the form of KREEP impact-melt breccias and glass. These materials occur in the Apollo 12 regolith mainly as a result of moderate-sized impacts into surrounding Fra Mauro and Alpes Formations that formed craters Copernicus (93 km diameter, 406 km distance), Reinhold (48 km diameter, 196 km distance), and possibly Lansberg (39 km diameter, 108 km distance), aided by excavation of basalt interlayers and mixing of regolith by small, local impacts. Anomalous immature soil samples 12024, 12032, and 12033 contain a lesser proportion of mare basalt and a correspondingly greater proportion of KREEP lithologies. These samples consist mainly of fossil or paleoregolith, likely ejecta from Copernicus, that was buried beneath the mixing zone of micrometeorite gardening, and then brought to the near surface by local craters such as Head, Bench, and Sharp Craters.     

Oxygen and bulk element abundances in Luna 20 fines

Abundances of O, Si, Al and Mn have been determined in Luna 20 fines sample 22001,9 by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The abundances of O, Si and Al are among the highest we have observed in lunar samples and reflect a highlands origin for much of this regolith sample. The Luna 20 abundances reported here most closely resemble those we have determined in four samples of two Apollo 16 fines, rock 14310, and a clast from breccia 15459. The Luna 20 $\text{O}\text{Si}$ ratio of 1.96 ± 0.05 is similar to that in most other lunar samples, but the $\text{Al}\text{Si}$ ratio of 0.532 ± 0.024 is exceeded only by our data on the Apollo 16 fines. This $\text{Al}\text{Si}$ ratio is in agreement with the value of 0.55 ± 0.06 determined by the remote X-ray fluorescence experiment for the highlands between Mare Crisium and Mare Smythii which lie near the Luna 20 site (Adleret al., 1972).     

Lunar materials: Their mineralogy,petrology and chemistry

The manned Apollo 11, 12, 14 and 15 and the automated Luna 16 lunar missions have provided us with lunar rock and regolith (soil) samples from a number of geologically distinct sites. The mare regions were sampled by Apollo 11, 12 and Luna 16, whereas Apollo 14 landed on a terrain with more relief, the Fra Mauro Formation which represents an ejecta blanket from the Imbrian Basin, and Apollo 15 touched down near the lunar highlands. The samples collected consist of a mixture, mainly of basalt, breccia and regolith (soil-particulate matter, generally < 1 cm in size). The basalts show considerable variation in texture, mineralogy and chemistry and probably represent fragments from various parts of relatively thin and extensive lava flows in the maria. The breccias represent regolith material which was indurated to varying degrees by impact events. The regolith is a product of the breakdown, again by impact, of coherent rock masses of basalt and breccia.     

Chemistry and thermal history of metal particles in Luna 20 soils

Individual metal particles from Luna 20 thin sections 521, 513 and 514 as well as several small metallic inclusions in silicate particles from Luna 20 thin sections 501 and 502 were examined using optical microscopy and the electron microprobe. All the metallic particles and inclusions analyzed are of meteoritic Co-Ni content as are most of the metallic particles from the Fra Mauro and the Apollo 16 highlands sites. It is proposed that most of the metal at these 3 sites had its origin in the meteoritic projectiles that bombarded and accumulated in the early lunar crust. It is apparent that the metallic particles and some of the metallic inclusions in the Luna 20 soil have been subjected to reheating on the Moon and this process has removed any evidence of the original meteoritic microstructure of the metal.     

Meteoritic trace elements in lunar rock 14321, 184

The 16 trace elements (Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Cs, Ge, In, Ir, Rb, Re, Sb, Se, Te, Tl and Zn) were measured by radiochemical neutron activation analysis in six samples of 14321, 184: microbreccia-2 (15), microbreccia-3 (14A, 16A and 19A), basaltic clast (1A), and light matrix material (9A). The 14321 microbreccias typically contain a siderophile-rich ancient meteoritic component, poor in volatiles, which is characterized by low $\text{Ir}\text{Au}$ and $\text{Re}\text{Au}$ ratios (0.25-0.38 and 0.34-0.50, respectively, normalized to Cl). This component also occurs in Apollo 12 KREEP glasses, norite fractions of Apollo 14 1–2 mm soils, Apennine Front breccias, and Cayley Formation material, and may represent ejecta from the Imbrian basin.The basaltic clast 14321, 184-1A closely resembles 14053 in trace element content, and both are 5–10 times higher than mare basalts in volatile trace elements (Br, Cd, Tl). The light matrix material contains 9.2 ± 0.5 per cent of microbreccias, judging from its siderophile content.     

A lunar differentiation model in light of new chemical data on Luna 20 and Apollo 16 soils

Fines from a Luna 20 soil sample and from three Apollo 16 deep drill core samples have been analyzed for major-minor element abundances by a combined, semi-micro atomic absorption spectrophotometric and colorimetric method. Both the major element and large ion lithophile trace element abundances in these soils, the first from interior highland sites, are greatly influenced by the very high normative plagioclase content, being distinctly richer in Al and Ca, and poorer in K, P, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Ti, than most bulk soil samples from previous lunar missions. The relatively large compositional variations in the Apollo 16 core can be ascribed almost entirely to decreasing plagioclase with increasing depth. The chemical composition of the Luna 20 soil indicates less plagioclase and less KREEP than in the Apollo 16 soils. A lunar differentiation model is presented in which is made the suggestion that KREEP is the result of a second fusion event in a lunar crust consisting of early feldspathic cumulates and primary aluminous ‘liquid’.     

87Rb-87Sr age of fragments and soils from the lunar sea of fertility

The Luna 16 materials were dated by the Rb-Sr method.An internal isochron age of 3.4 ± 0.2 has been determined for a 6 mg fragment.The Luna 16 total soil is poorer in radiogenic Sr than any other analyzed soil from the Moon. Apollo 14 and 15 soils have also been studied; all of them fall nearly on a 4.65 b.y. isochron with the ADOR initial ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratio.A comparison of the integrated $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ of the basalt source region and the $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ of the rocks suggests that these basaltic fragments have been generated with only minor $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ fractionation.The existence of an old Rb-rich subcrust which contaminated the basalts is also in agreement with the present results.     

Mineralogy,petrology and chemistry of lithic fragments from Luna 20 fines: origin of the cumulate ANT suite and its relationship to high-alumina and mare basalts

Bulk analyses of 157 lithic fragments of igneous origin and analyses of their constituent minerals (plagioclase, pyroxene, olivine, Mg-Al spinel, chromite, ilmenite, armalcolite, baddeleyite, zirkelite, K-feldspar, interstitial glass high in SiO₂ and K₂O) have been used to characterize the lunar highland rock suites at the Luna 20 site. The predominant suite is composed of ANT (anorthositic-noritic-troctolitic) rocks, as found at previous Apollo and Luna sites. This suite consists of an early cumulate member, spinel troctolite, and later cumulate rocks which are gradational from anorthosite to noritic and troctolitic anorthosite to anorthositic norite and troctolite; anorthositic norite is the most abundant rock type and its composition is close to the average composition for the highland rocks at this site. Spinel troctolite is a distinctive member of this suite and is characterized by the presence of Mg-Al spinel, magnesian olivine (average, Fo₈₃), and plagioclase. High-alumina basalt with low alkali content is another important rock type and melt of this composition may be parental to the cumulate ANT suite. Alkalic high-alumina basalt (KREEP) was not found in our sample, but may be genetically related to the ANT suite in that it may have formed by partial melting of rocks similar to those of the ANT suite. Fractional crystallization of low alkali, high-alumina basalt probably cannot produce alkalic high-alumina basalt because the enrichment in KREEP component is many times greater than the simultaneous change in major element components. Formation of alkalic high-alumina basalt by mechanical mixing of ANT rocks with very KREEP-rich components is not likely because the high-alumina basalt suite falls on a cotectic in the anorthiteolivine-silica system. Mare basalts may also be genetically related in that they may have been derived by remelting of rocks formed from residual liquids of fractional crystallization of parental low-alkali, high-alumina basalt, plus mafic cumulate crystals; the resultant melt would have a negative Eu anomaly and high $\text{Fe}\text{Mg}$ and $\text{pyroxene}\text{plagioclase}$ ratios.     

Oxide minerals in lithic fragments from Luna 20 fines

One hundred and seventy-six oxide mineral grains in the Luna 20 samples were analyzed by electron microprobe. Spinel is the most abundant oxide, occurring in troctolite fragments. Next most abundant is ilmenite, which occurs in all rock types except those containing spinel. Chromite also occurs in all rock types except those containing spinel. Minor amounts of ulvöspinel, armalcolite, zirkelite, baddeleyite and an unidentified TiO₂-rich phase were also found.Spinel grains are predominantly spinel-hercynite solid solutions, commonly with very minor chromite. The $\text{Fe}\text{(Fe + Mg)}$ ratio is generally lower than in spinel from Apollo 14 rocks. Chromites in non-mare rocks are similar to those from mare rocks. Ilmenite of mare origin is Mg-poor and Zr-rich compared to non-mare ilmenite; these elements may therefore be useful in determining the origin of ilmenite grains.Phase equilibria considerations suggest that spinel troctolite crystallized from a melt high in alumina; a likely candidate is the high-alumina basalt of Prinzet al. (1973a).Sub-micron wide rods of metallic Fe occur in plagioclase grains and may have formed by sub-solidus reduction processes.     

On the age of KREEP

Many lunar highland rocks have been extensively metamorphosed during the late heavy bombardment of the Moon 3.9–4.0 AE ago. Rubidium and other, more volatile elements were preferentially mobilized during this event, which resulted in a considerable scatter of RbSr model ages. This scatter can be considerably reduced by estimating the original Rb content on the basis of Sm or other, less mobile, incompatible elements. The principal uncertainty on the corrected model ages of 4.25–4.45 AE comes from the original Sm/Rb ratio.Highland rocks enriched in incompatible elements in most cases are mixtures between KREEP-basalt and other highland rock types. After corrections for Rb mobilization 3.9–4.0 AE ago, slight isotopic differences among KREEP-enriched rocks from different landing sites becomes noticeable. These differences correspond to different meteoritic groups as defined by Morgan et al. (1974). Apparently there existed slightly different KREEP basalt reservoirs, with formation ages ranging from 4.25 to 4.45 AE. These reservoirs were partly exposed through impacts of basin-forming planetesimals 3.9–4.0 AE ago. The resulting impact melts were contaminated with meteoritic material from the bombarding planetesimals.The $\text{4.63 ± 0.1}$ AE RbSr isochron of trace element poor highland rocks (Schonfeld, 1976) is determined by a K,Rb- and Ba-rich component, which formed earlier and independently of KREEP basalts.