Non-KREEP origin for Chang’e-5 basalts in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane

Heng-Ci Tian, Hao Wang, Yi Chen, Wei Yang (), Qin Zhou, Chi Zhang, Hong-Lei Lin, Chao Huang, Shi-Tou Wu, Li-Hui Jia, Lei Xu, Di Zhang, Xiao-Guang Li, Rui Chang, Yue-Heng Yang, Lie-Wen Xie, Dan-Ping Zhang, Guang-Liang Zhang, Sai-Hong Yang and Fu-Yuan Wu
Additional contact information
Heng-Ci Tian: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hao Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yi Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Wei Yang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qin Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chi Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hong-Lei Lin: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chao Huang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shi-Tou Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Li-Hui Jia: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lei Xu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Di Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xiao-Guang Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Rui Chang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yue-Heng Yang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lie-Wen Xie: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dan-Ping Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guang-Liang Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Sai-Hong Yang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Fu-Yuan Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature, 2021, vol. 600, issue 7887, 59-63

Abstract: Abstract Mare volcanics on the Moon are the key record of thermo-chemical evolution throughout most of lunar history1–3. Young mare basalts—mainly distributed in a region rich in potassium, rare-earth elements and phosphorus (KREEP) in Oceanus Procellarum, called the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT)4—were thought to be formed from KREEP-rich sources at depth5–7. However, this hypothesis has not been tested with young basalts from the PKT. Here we present a petrological and geochemical study of the basalt clasts from the PKT returned by the Chang’e-5 mission8. These two-billion-year-old basalts are the youngest lunar samples reported so far9. Bulk rock compositions have moderate titanium and high iron contents with KREEP-like rare-earth-element and high thorium concentrations. However, strontium–neodymium isotopes indicate that these basalts were derived from a non-KREEP mantle source. To produce the high abundances of rare-earth elements and thorium, low-degree partial melting and extensive fractional crystallization are required. Our results indicate that the KREEP association may not be a prerequisite for young mare volcanism. Absolving the need to invoke heat-producing elements in their source implies a more sustained cooling history of the lunar interior to generate the Moon’s youngest melts.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04119-5

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