China claims to have found a new crystal on the moon containing a previously unknown mineral that it claims will help experts understand the moon’s origin and evolution.
The mineral was collected as part of China’s unmanned 2020 Chang’e-5 mission, which acquired rocks and other materials from the moon, according to the Chinese state-run media outlet Global Times.
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The head of the China Atomic Energy Authority revealed the name of the mineral as Changesite-(Y) and said it was a phosphate mineral found in basalt particles, according to the report from the state-run publication.
A new mineral, Changesite-(Y), was discovered from the moon samples retrieved by #China‘s Chang’e-5 probe, making China the third country to discover a new mineral on moon, China Atomic Energy Authority said on Friday. pic.twitter.com/gieIWN8SMg
— People’s Daily, China (@PDChina) September 9, 2022
The discovery makes China the third country to find a new mineral on the moon after the United States and the Soviet Union.
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China’s mineral discovery comes as interest in lunar exploration is on the rise. The highly anticipated launch of the U.S. return mission to the moon, Artemis I, is currently for some time in the near future after facing numerous delays.
