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NASA - Lunar Sample Compendium

Sample 15287

15287

Section titled “15287”

Regolith Breccia 44.9 grams

Section titled “Regolith Breccia 44.9 grams”

Figure 1 a, b: Two views of 15287. Sample is 3 - 4 cm across. S71-44537 and 535.

Introduction

Section titled “Introduction”

15287 was collected from the surface close by the small boulder that yielded 15265. These samples are from station 6 on the lower slope of the Apennine Front (figure 2).

Petrography

Section titled “Petrography”

15287 is a coherent regolith breccia with zap pits on one side. McKay et al. (1989) reported that the maturity index is Is /FeO = 28 and that there is an abundance of agglutinates. It is porous, with abundant glass particles including green glass. Lithic clasts include mare basalt and KREEP basalt. A thin section photomicrograph is found in the catalog by Ryder (1985).

Chemistry

Section titled “Chemistry”

The composition of 15287 is like that of 15265 and the other breccias of this cluster. It is higher in trace elements that the surrounding soil (figure 4).

Other Studies

Section titled “Other Studies”

Bogard (in McKay et al. 1989) reported the rare gas Figure 2: Location of 15287 on lower slope of Apennine Front. content and isotopes.

Mineralogical Mode for 15287

Section titled “Mineralogical Mode for 15287”
(McKay et al. 1989)
20-500 micron500-1000 micron
Mare Basalt0.3 %4.3 %
KREEP basalt2.72.1
Plutonic30
Breccias223.4
Olivine10
Pyroxene160
Plagioclase174.3
Opaques00
Glass1423.4
Agglutinates2536.2

Processing

Section titled “Processing”

15285, 15286, 15287, 15288, 15289 and also 15268 were returned together in documented bag 192 and may be pieces of the same material. There are 4 thin sections.

References for 15287

Section titled “References for 15287”

Butler P. (1971) Lunar Sample Catalog, Apollo 15. Curators’ Office, MSC 03209

LSPET (1972a) The Apollo 15 lunar samples: A preliminary description. Science 175, 363-375.

LSPET (1972b) Preliminary examination of lunar samples. Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Report. NASA SP-289, 6- 1—6-28.

McKay D.S., Morris R.V. and Wentworth S.J. (1984) Maturity of regolith breccias as revealed by ferromagnetic and petrographic indicies (abs). Lunar Planet. Sci. XV, 530- 531. Lunar Planetary Institute, Houston.

McKay D.S., Bogard D.D., Morris R.V., Korotev R.L., Wentworth S.J. and Johnson P. (1989) Apollo 15 regolith breccias: Window to a KREEP regolith. Proc. 19th Lunar Sci. Conf. 19-41. Lunar Planetary Institute, Houston.

Figure 3: Composition of 15287 compared with Apollo soils and Apollo 15 breccias.

Figure 4: Normalized rare-earth-element diagram for 15287 and Apollo 15 soils.

Ryder G. (1985) Catalog of Apollo 15 Rocks (three volumes). Curatoial Branch Pub. # 72, JSC#20787

Swann G.A., Hait M.H., Schaber G.C., Freeman V.L., Ulrich G.E., Wolfe E.W., Reed V.S. and Sutton R.L. (1971b) Preliminary description of Apollo 15 sample environments. U.S.G.S. Interagency report: 36. pp219 with maps

Swann G.A., Bailey N.G., Batson R.M., Freeman V.L., Hait M.H., Head J.W., Holt H.E., Howard K.A., Irwin J.B., Larson K.B., Muehlberger W.R., Reed V.S., Rennilson J.J., Schaber G.G., Scott D.R., Silver L.T., Sutton R.L., Ulrich G.E., Wilshire H.G. and Wolfe E.W. (1972) 5. Preliminary Geologic Investigation of the Apollo 15 landing site. In Apollo 15 Preliminary Science Rpt. NASA SP-289. pages 5-1-112.

Table 1. Chemical composition of 15287.

reference
weight		McKay89
SiO2 %
TiO2
Al2O3
FeO
MnO
MgO
CaO
Na2O
K2O
P2O5
S %
sum		2.03
13.9
13
0.18
9.3
10.1
0.62		(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
Sc ppm
V
Cr
Co
Ni
Cu
Zn
Ga
Ge ppb
As
Se		26.4
83
2410
29
75		(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
Rb
Sr		130(a)
Y
Zr
Nb		740(a)
Mo
Ru
Rh
Pd ppb
Ag ppb
Cd ppb
In ppb
Sn ppb
Sb ppb
Te ppb
Cs ppm
Ba
La
Ce		0.48
512
31.7
84		(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
Pr
Nd
Sm
Eu		48
14.4
1.57		(a)
(a)
(a)
Gd
Tb
Dy		2.82(a)
Ho
Er
Tm
Yb
Lu
Hf
Ta
W ppb
Re ppb		10.2
1.41
12
1.4		(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
Os ppb
Ir ppb		6.8(a)
Pt ppb
Au ppb
Th ppm
U ppm
technique: (a) INAA		3
5.6
1.3		(a)
(a)
(a)

Lunar Sample Compendium C Meyer 2011