So far, Professor Head said, most of the samples have targeted the center of the moon’s closest side, the hemisphere facing the Earth.
Clive Neal, a professor of planetary geology at the University of Notre Dame, said the new minerals found on the moon were not abundant. The first was Armalcolite, discovered during the Apollo 11 mission; The term is a portmanteau of the three astronaut missions.
The next expedition, which includes the efforts of China and the United States, will target unexplored areas on the moon. Professor Neale said samples from “another interesting geological site”, particularly from the smallest terrain on the planet, could help broaden scientists’ understanding of how the moon evolved.
“The moon is still revealing some interesting secrets,” he added.
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