Abstract
Abstract An investigation was conducted on the mineralogy, chemical composition, and interaction of two NASA lunar simulants, Minnesota basalt and Corning glass, with humic acid (HA). Chemical composition was determined by a fluoro‐boric acid digestion process. Mineral composition was investigated by x‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive analysis by x‐rays (EDAX). Interaction was studied by shaking samples of the lunar simulants with HA solutions at pH 2.45 and 7.0 for 1 to 40 days. Silica, Fe, and Al released were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Changes in mineral structure and elemental composition of single crystals were examined by SEM and EDAX. Minnesota basalt was composed of approximately 60% plagioclase and 40% ferromagnesian minerals. The presence of ilmenite was detected by SEM and EDAX. Corning glass was amorphous to XRD. The rate and kinetics of dissolution of the two lunar simulants were similar to those reported for soil sil...
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