中国科学院地球化学研究所机构知识库

Magnetite is rare on the Moon. The ubiquitous presence of magnetite in lunar soil has been hypothesized in previ-ous Apollo Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron spin resonance studies, but there is currently no mineralogicalevidence to prove it. Here, we report a large number of submicroscopic magnetite particles embedded withiniron-sulfide on the surface of Chang’e-5 glass, with a close positive correlation between magnetite content andthe TiO2 content of the surrounding glass. The morphology and mineralogy of the iron-sulfide grains suggest thatthese magnetite particles formed via an impact process between iron-sulfide droplets and silicate glass melt, andilmenite is necessary for magnetite formation. Magnetite in lunar glass is a potential candidate for the “magnetite-like” phase detected in the Apollo era and suggests that impact-induced submicroscopic magnetite may be ubiq-uitous in high-Ti regions of the Moon. Moreover, these impact-induced magnetite particles may be crucial forunderstanding the lunar magnetic anomalies and mineral components of the deep Moon.