Ramana G. Reddy¹; ¹University of Alabama

This study discusses the possible existence of metallic inclusions on the surface of the Moon. In this work, experimental studies on stimulant lunar soil were conducted by performing thermodynamic analyses under the conditions that mimic the surface of the Moon. The results showed that iron is the only metal that can be significantly extracted from the lunar soil by hydrogen. The amount of hydrogen in the lunar system drastically affects the process of iron extraction. The yields of metallic iron from the lunar soil as a function of temperature and hydrogen content were evaluated. Even at a low temperature, the metallic iron tends to exist on the Moon surface if the concentration of hydrogen is higher than 0.018% (wt %) in the lunar soil. These results are in good agreement with metallic iron observed in the Apollo 11 lunar soils received from the Moon.