The Chang’e-6 (CE-6) mission returned the first-ever soil samples from a farside mare basalt unit within the Apollo basin, the largest impact feature of the South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin. Here, we integrated petrological and geochemical analyses on this soil and its main components to estimate the compositions of local mare basalt and nonmare components. The landing site basalt is a typical low-Ti basalt with low Mg# (30–31) and low contents of Th (1 ppm) and other incompatible elements. The bulk soil overall shows homogeneous major and trace elemental compositions, which are very different from the local basalt. Combined with petrological constraints, such differences reveal an incorporation of ∼40 ± 5 wt% of noritic crust ejecta and 2–3 wt% meteoritic materials, without mantle-rock fragments. The mean composition of nonmare materials corresponds to anorthositic norite or norite (∼60 ± 5 vol% plagioclase) and is broadly comparable with Northwest Africa (NWA) 2995 clan meteorites and the prediction from remote sensing data for the SPA basin. The low-Th contents of the basalt, soil, breccia, and impact glasses (1–2 ppm) support negligible Th-rich components in ejecta materials and the underlying mantle and crust. These ground-truth results suggest the dominant distribution of intermediate FeO, mafic crust rocks on the Apollo basin floor, providing insights into the composition of the farside crust within the SPA basin.
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Research Article|
April 22, 2025
Early Publication
Chemical compositions of Chang’e-6 lunar soil and substantial addition of noritic crust ejecta from Apollo basin Available to Purchase
Zaicong Wang;
Zaicong Wang
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Yiheng Li;
Yiheng Li
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China2
Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 7154, 75005 Paris, France
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Jiawei Li;
Jiawei Li
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Keqing Zong;
Keqing Zong
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Zhenbing She;
Zhenbing She
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Qi He;
Qi He
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Jiawei Zhao;
Jiawei Zhao
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Wen Zhang;
Wen Zhang
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Jiaqi Zheng;
Jiaqi Zheng
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Fabin Pan;
Fabin Pan
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Tao Luo;
Tao Luo
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Kosta Crnobrnja;
Kosta Crnobrnja
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Xu Chen;
Xu Chen
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Long Xiao;
Long Xiao
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Zhaochu Hu;
Zhaochu Hu
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Xiang Wu;
Xiang Wu
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Yongsheng Liu;
Yongsheng Liu
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
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Frédéric Moynier
Frédéric Moynier
2
Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 7154, 75005 Paris, France
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Zaicong Wang
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Yiheng Li
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China2
Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 7154, 75005 Paris, France
Jiawei Li
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Keqing Zong
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Zhenbing She
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Qi He
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Jiawei Zhao
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Wen Zhang
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Jiaqi Zheng
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Fabin Pan
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Tao Luo
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Kosta Crnobrnja
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Xu Chen
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Long Xiao
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Zhaochu Hu
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Xiang Wu
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Yongsheng Liu
1
Hubei Key Laboratory of Planetary Geology and Deep-Space Exploration, State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Frédéric Moynier
2
Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 7154, 75005 Paris, France
Publisher: Geological Society of America
Received:
30 Dec 2024
Revision Received:
28 Feb 2025
Accepted:
10 Apr 2025
First Online:
22 Apr 2025
Online ISSN: 1943-2682
Print ISSN: 0091-7613
© 2025 Geological Society of America
Geology (2025)
Article history
Received:
30 Dec 2024
Revision Received:
28 Feb 2025
Accepted:
10 Apr 2025
First Online:
22 Apr 2025
Citation
Zaicong Wang, Yiheng Li, Jiawei Li, Keqing Zong, Zhenbing She, Qi He, Jiawei Zhao, Wen Zhang, Jiaqi Zheng, Fabin Pan, Tao Luo, Kosta Crnobrnja, Xu Chen, Long Xiao, Zhaochu Hu, Xiang Wu, Yongsheng Liu, Frédéric Moynier; Chemical compositions of Chang’e-6 lunar soil and substantial addition of noritic crust ejecta from Apollo basin. Geology 2025; doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G53086.1
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