A suite of 21 fragments from the Apollo 17 coarse-fines consists of ferroan anorthosites, anorthositic gabbros, granulitic and regolith breccias, and impact melts. These samples belong to known petrographic and chemical groups. Three ferroan anorthosites were found, including one which appears to be the lowest in REE (La = 0.60X) and probably the purest of the Apollo 17 anorthosites identified thus far. The ferroan suite is a more important component at the Apollo 17 site than previously recognized. The Apollo 17 melt rocks are similar to other samples with LKFM and low-K KREEP compositions and show less diversity in trace elements (REE) than the Apollo 15 melt rocks. Apollo 17 melt rocks consist of aphanitic and poikilitic types that show some compositional variability with identical Ni/Ir, suggesting that either two distinct melt sheets formed by similar projectiles, or compositional heterogeneity within one melt sheet is possible.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Chemistry and petrology of Apollo 17 highland coarse fines - Plutonic and melt rocks


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Lunar and Planetary Science Conference ; 1988 ; Houston, TX, United States


    Publication date :

    1989-01-01


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Lunar petrology of silicate melt inclusions, Apollo 11 rocks

    Roedder, E. / Weiblen, P. W. | NTRS | 1970


    Petrology of the lunar rocks from Apollo 11 landing site

    Essene, E. J. / Ringwood, A. E. / Ware, N. G. | NTRS | 1970



    Carbon chemistry of Apollo 14 size-fractionated fines.

    Holland, P. T. / Simoneit, B. R. / Wszolek, P. C. et al. | NTRS | 1972


    Mineralogical and chemical studies of Apollo 11 lunar fines and selected rocks

    Drake, J. C. / Frondel, C. / Ito, J. et al. | NTRS | 1970