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Title: Role of phosphorus in lunar samples: a chemical study

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6337322

The roles played by phosphorus present in lunar material may be important in understanding the evolution of the crustal rocks. Quantitative extraction of phosphorus and trace elements associated with possible phosphate phases is the ultimate objective of these studies. Because P may be present in glassy or microcrystalline mesostasis and also as discrete phosphate minerals and as phosphides, chemical procedures provide a tool for its determination along with its complements of trace elements. In these experiments 0.1 M acid was used as a phosphate-specific agent. One experiment was designed to measure how quantitatively P-related constituents are extracted. In consecutive leaching steps more p and REE were dissolved, 76 vs 26% P and 64 vs 37% Sm, from the finer grain sample split. This could be a grain size effect or it could be due to phase separations. Only small amounts of soluble phases remained after the initial 10 minute extraction. Phosphorus and REE are dilute acid soluble in amounts ranging up to 70%. They have sympathetically but are not necessarily highly correlated. Acid soluble fractions of KREEP-rich breccia 14312 and highland breccia 66095 matrix and melt rock clast have chondrite normalized REE patterns similar to that of apatite from a terrestrial gabbro. A different pattern is observed for mare basalt 75055 whole rock and pyroxene and an ilmenite-rich separate. The residues after the acid leach are always HREE enriched relative to the leached fractions. No KREEP-like REE/CH pattern was observed. A systematics for highland rocks based on P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ and Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ is noted. Igneous KREEP rock 15386 and Apollo-16, Fe-rich, high-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ glasses reported by Powell et al. (1975) play key roles. 5 figures, 1 table.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
6337322
Report Number(s):
CONF-8203115-1; ON: DE83007816
Resource Relation:
Conference: 13. lunar and planetary conference, Houston, TX, USA, 15 Mar 1982; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English