ASSOCIATION OF CARBON-RICH SUBSTANCE AND NATIVE MOLYBDENUM IN A LUNAR REGOLITH FROM MARE CRISIUM

Abstract

New finds were made during continuing investigations of minerals in the regolith with a JSM 5610LV low-vacuum electron microscope equipped with EDS JED-2300 (JEOL, Japan). Unlike previous works aimed at studying the finest samples of regolith delivered by A/S Luna-16 (Mare Fecunditatis), Luna-20 (continental ground), and Luna-24 (Mare Crisium), this work was focused on the largest fragments (up to 1 mm in size) from Mare Crisium. The specimen contained regolith fragments extracted from the deepest part of the core corresponding to a depth of 1.84–1.89 m (24184.4–4.9). Numerous attempts were made previously to find interesting mineral phases in such coarse fractions, but nothing interesting was found so far. However, some specimens prepared recently appeared extremely interesting. The specimens were prepared using simple technology: individual particles were taken with a porcupine needle and mounted on two-sided carbon tape preliminarily stacked to the aluminum table of a scanning microscope. The free surface of the table was covered by graphite glue to avoid fluorescence extinction of aluminum.