The relation of metal composition to rock type for clasts in Apollo 16 soilsThe moderately magnetic fractions of soils from a bright ray of South Ray Crater and from the continuous ejecta of North Ray Crater are described. The clasts in these fractions are classified as agglutinate, ANT melt rocks, glassy melt rocks, and ANT hornfels/breccia. Determinations are made of the Ni-Co and P contents of single-phase metal grains in the clasts. It is found that most of these grains have compositions in the meteoritic range and that the compositions tend to cluster at about 6% Ni. A significant amount of Fe-rich metal is also detected in some clasts along with a clear P-enrichment in metal from one soil sample. Meteoritic contamination of lunar metal having compositions in or close to the meteoritic range is considered. A model involving nine separate factors is proposed as an explanation of the observed metal compositions.
Document ID
19770051849
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Hewins, R. H. (Rutgers University New Brunswick, N.J., United States)
Goldstein, J. I. (Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pa., United States)
Axon, H. J. (Manchester, Victoria University Manchester, United Kingdom)