Armalcolite and genetically associated opaque minerals in the lunar samples

A comprehensive electron microprobe study of armalcolite in samples from five Apollo sites (11-16), together with analytical data previously reported from Apollo 17 and Luna 20 show that three distinct compositional types of armacolite are present in the lunar samples. These types are classified as armalcolite, Cr-Zr-Ca-armalcolite and Zr-armalcolite. The Zr-free armalcolites are typical of high-Ti mare basalts whereas the Zr-rich armalcolites are typical of non-mare high alumina basalts. The latter armalcolites are in complete oxide intergrowths (baddeleyite, zirconolite, rutile, ilmenite, and chromite) and are in contrast to the Zr-free armalcolites which are commonly only associated with ilmenite. Subsolidus decomposition of armalcolite to an iron and Mg-rich rutile + ilmenite-geikielite, and the solid state formation of armalcolite from magnesium-ilmenite + niobian-rutile are described for the first time in the lunar samples.