- Chinese researchers found iron oxide crystals in lunar soil from Change-6 mission samples
- Discovery of hematite and maghemite challenges beliefs about Moon's surface chemical environment
- Iron oxide presence disproves idea that Moon's atmosphere is too reducing for oxidizing minerals
Chinese researchers have made a major scientific breakthrough by identifying tiny crystals of Iron oxide, commonly known as hematite and maghemite, in lunar soil for the first time, reported by CGTN.
The finding comes from samples brought back by China's Chang'e-6 mission, and it challenges long-held beliefs about the chemical environment on the moon's surface. This discovery offers new clues about the moon's ancient history and how powerful impact events shaped its surface.
China's space agency, Shandong University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have reported the discovery of micrometre-sized Iron oxide crystals in lunar soil, present in the form of hematite and maghemite.
These tiny particles were found in samples from the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin, one of the Moon's oldest and largest impact zones.
According to the research published in Science Advances, this discovery is direct evidence that Iron oxide is present on the lunar surface. It disproves the notion that the Moon's atmosphere is so reducing that such oxidizing minerals cannot form there. Scientists believe this discovery will play a crucial role in understanding future lunar missions and the Moon's evolution.
According to the study, hematite may have been formed by massive impacts on the Moon. Such large impacts create a highly oxygenated vapour atmosphere in some areas.
As the vapour cools, it undergoes a process called "vapour-phase deposition," forming micrometer-sized hematite crystals. According to the researchers, minerals like magnetite and maghemite appear in this intermediate phase. Their magnetic properties may also explain the magnetic anomalies observed around the SPA Basin.
This study, based on samples for the first time, shows that highly oxidized minerals like hematite can exist on the Moon. This provides new insights into the Moon's chemical composition and the causes of magnetic anomalies in different regions.
The SPA Basin, where Chang'e-6 landed, is the largest and oldest impact zone on any rocky body in the Solar System. Its immense size makes it a prime candidate for understanding rare geological processes. Such a discovery was only made possible after the Chang'e-6 mission returned samples from this deep region in 2024.
This achievement helps scientists gain a deeper understanding of the Moon's formation, evolution, and its response to large impacts over billions of years.
