Today is the 11th China Aerospace Day, with the theme of "Seven Orders to Ask the Heavenly Road, Join Hands to Explore the Nine Heavens". According to CCTV News, China National Space Administration today released the latest results of Chang'e-5 lunar sample research: the discovery of two new lunar minerals. Among them, one is named magnesia chang'e. This mineral is mainly produced in basalt debris drilled on the moon. It is in the form of columnar crystals with a particle size of only 2 to 30 microns, which is about one-thirtieth to one-third of the diameter of a human hair.
Ideal crystal diagram of magnesium chang'e stone
Experts said that magnesium chang'e stone is a calcium rare earth phosphate mineral like the previously discovered chang'e stone, but its content of magnesium and rare earth elements is higher.
In addition, scientific researchers also discovered another new mineral-cerium aconite.
Ideal crystal diagram of cerium Chang'e stone
Compared with the previous Chang'e stone, Cerium Chang'e stone is rich in the light rare earth element cerium and is an important material carrier for recording different stages of the moon's evolution.
The discovery of these two new minerals provides new key evidence for revealing the formation and evolution of the moon, and also helps to further deepen human understanding of the geological evolution of the moon.