There is water on the Moon, and Chinese scientists have confirmed where large quantities are hidden, revealing that a mineral in lunar dust collected by the Chinese Chang’e-5 lander contains so much water that it makes up 41% of its weight.
The mineral is similar to newgrablenovite, which was only identified a few years ago in basalt rock from Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Both the lunar and terrestrial versions have the chemical formula (NH4)MgCl3·6H2O and similar crystal structures.
Since newgrablenovite can be studied here on Earth, the discovery of an almost identical mineral on the Moon can provide scientists with clues about where lunar water is hidden and how it got there, as well as insights into the history of lunar H2O.
The origin, presence, and distribution of water on the Moon remain a mystery. Scientists are eager to uncover this information because understanding where lunar moisture comes from and where it is currently located is a vital component of the Earth-Moon system’s history.
Moreover, knowing where water is located is crucial for future lunar exploration missions, as humans need water to survive.
Water has previously been found in older lunar samples, trapped in tiny glass beads formed when surface material melts. The detection of water signals in the light spectrum reflected from the Moon’s surface suggests there is much more to discover.
The discovery also points to a previously unknown source of water on the Moon—hydrated salts, which are much more stable than water ice.
This suggests that water could be accessible even in areas of the Moon that are frequently exposed to sunlight, reducing future reliance on water ice found deep within craters at the lunar poles.