New lunar minerals discovered in Chang'e-6 samples mark major scientific breakthrough

Chinese researchers have made a major breakthrough in lunar science after analyzing samples brought back by the Chang'e-6 mission from the far side of the moon's South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin. For the first time, scientists have identified micron-sized hematite (α-Fe2O3) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) crystals formed by large impact events.

The study provides the first sample-based evidence that strong oxidizing materials such as hematite can exist on the lunar surface under extremely reducing conditions. The discovery sheds new light on the moon's redox conditions and the origins of its magnetic anomalies. Researchers say the findings will offer a crucial scientific foundation for future lunar studies and deepen understanding of the moon's evolutionary history.