Publication Date:
2019-07-13
Description:
A new rapid and precise analytical procedure for Zr and Hf has been applied to the study of lunar materials. The results indicate that the Zr/Hf ratios in lunar materials vary in a narrow range from 36.6 to 51.3 while their respective contents vary by a factor of 40. There is a strong Zr, Hf, and major element correlation. This correlation and the Zr and Hf systematics suggest that lunar materials fall into two groups. One group characterized by high Zr and Hf contents and higher Zr/Hf ratios corresponds to materials with a high KREEP content; the other characterized by low Zr and Hf contents and lower Zr/Hf ratios corresponds to materials with high Ti, Fe, Mn, and Mg contents. We believe that the modest Zr and Hf fractionation we observe is related to the extent of stabilization of the metals in the early titanium minerals and a charge disparity under extremely reduced conditions in which Zr exists as 3+, while Hf remains as 4+.
Keywords:
SPACE SCIENCES
Type:
Lunar Science Conference; Mar 05, 1973 - Mar 08, 1973; Houston, TX
Format:
text
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