M* -> The Quotation of the Day: MAKING AIR ON THE MOON TO BREATHE IS NO PROBLEM permanent/lunar-geology-minerals.html Beneficiation of two Apollo lunar samples: Component Apollo sample 14063 processed to 90% plagioclase,10% residue Apollo sample 70215 processed to 90% ilmenite,10% residue Chemical analysis in weight parts per million, extracted from NASA SP-428. There are many other minerals which occur in lunar material in lower abundance, and some are exotic, but a more expansive coverage of this topic is beyond the scope of this book. The above is intended mainly to give the reader an understanding of the basics of lunar materials so that they understand the main issues related to lunar resources and materials processing. It has also been speculated that there are probably beds of nearly pure ilmenite, anorthite and other minerals which would not need to be beneficiated to produce the above or better purity of minerals. These are much more likely to exist a few meters down, under the crater splashed surface. The reader can now understand that OXYGEN IS THE MOST ABOUNDANT ELEMENT ON THE MOON even though there is no air on the Moon MAKING AIR ON THE MOON TO BREATHE IS NO PROBLEM (within an enclosed capsule, of course). The reason oxygen is the most abundant element is that it bonds to so many things. Since oxygen-bonded minerals are lightweight, they float up to form the crust of a planet. On the other hand, metals like nickel, gold and platinum stay shiny because they dont like to bond to oxygen. For that reason, they usually sink to the core of a planet and hence theyre rare in the crust and precious to surface dwellers.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 08:11:48 +0000