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Evidence of a hydrated mineral enriched in water and ammonium molecules in the Chang’e-5 lunar sample

Nature Astronomy volume 8, pages 1127–1137 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

The presence and distribution of water on the Moon are fundamental to our understanding of the Earth–Moon system. Despite extensive laboratory research and remote sensing explorations, the origin and chemical form of lunar water have remained elusive. In this study we present the discovery of a hydrated mineral, (NH4)MgCl3·6H2O, in lunar soil samples returned by the Chang’e-5 mission that contains approximately 41 wt% H2O. The mineral’s structure and composition closely resemble novograblenovite, a terrestrial fumarole mineral formed through the reaction of hot basalt with water-rich volcanic gases, and carnallite, an Earth evaporite mineral. We rule out terrestrial contamination or rocket exhaust as the origin of this hydrate on the basis of its chemical and isotopic compositions and formation conditions. The presence of ammonium indicates a more complex lunar degassing history and highlights its potential as a resource for lunar habitation. Our findings also suggest that water molecules can persist in sunlit areas of the Moon as hydrated salts, providing crucial constraints on the fugacity of water and ammonia vapour in lunar volcanic gases.

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Fig. 1: Photograph and composition of ULM-1.
Fig. 2: Crystal structure and charge density of ULM-1.
Fig. 3: Chlorine isotope variability in different terrestrial and extraterrestrial reservoirs.
Fig. 4: Constraints on water fugacity from the crystallization of ULM-1.

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Data availability

All data are available in the main text or the Supplementary Information. The X-ray crystallographic coordinates of the structures reported in this study have been deposited at the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC) under deposition number 2166870. These data can be obtained free of charge from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre via www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/data_request/cif. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

The CE5 lunar sample CE5C0400YJFM00507 (1.5 g) was provided by the China National Space Administration. We thank Y. Li, Q. Zhang, X. Wang, K. Ma, Q. Li, J. Zhou and T. Ying from the IOP, CAS, C. Sun from Tianjin University and C. Li and B. Liu from the National Astronomical Observatories, CAS, for their assistance in experiments and useful discussions. This work was supported by the Key Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant number ZDBS-SSW-JSC007-2 to Xiaolong Chen), the Strategic Priority Research Program and Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant number XDB33010100 to Xiaolong Chen), the Informatization Plan of Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant number CAS-WX2021SF-0102 to S.J.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 52272268 to S.J.) and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS (grant number 2019005 to S.J.). This work was also supported by the Synergetic Extreme Condition User Facility (SECUF).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Shifeng Jin, Munan Hao.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Shifeng Jin, Munan Hao, Yuxin Ma, Xu Chen, Yanpeng Song, Cheng Cao, Congcong Chai, Jiangang Guo & Xiaolong Chen

  2. School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Shifeng Jin, Munan Hao, Cheng Cao, Congcong Chai & Xiaolong Chen

  3. School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, Beijing, China

    Zhongnan Guo

  4. School of Earth System Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China

    Bohao Yin

  5. Center of Advanced Analysis & Gene Sequencing, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

    Lijun Deng

  6. Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining, China

    Qi Wei & Yunqi Ma

  7. Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, China

    Jiangang Guo & Xiaolong Chen

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Contributions

S.J. conducted the sample selection, EDS, EPMA, IR, Raman and isotopic experiments, thermodynamic calculations and data analysis and wrote the manuscript. M.H. conducted the sample selection, singled out the ULM-1 crystal and determined the crystal structure. Z.G. performed thermodynamic calculations. B.Y. performed isotopic experiments. Yuxin Ma performed EDS experiments. L.D. performed EPMA measurements. Xu Chen captured the optical photographs. Y.S., C. Cao and C. Chai performed Raman experiments. Q.W. and Yunqi Ma performed isotopic experiments. J.G. performed Raman experiments. Xialong Chen supervised the project, analysed the data and wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xiaolong Chen.

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Nature Astronomy thanks Sabrina Schwinger and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Supplementary Figs. 1–22 and Tables 1–9.

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EPMA, Raman and IR source data.

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Unprocessed crystal structure data.

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Raw isotropic data presented in Fig. 3.

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Jin, S., Hao, M., Guo, Z. et al. Evidence of a hydrated mineral enriched in water and ammonium molecules in the Chang’e-5 lunar sample. Nat Astron 8, 1127–1137 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02306-8

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