¹Wei Dai,¹Frédéric Moynier,¹Zheng-Yu,^1,2Linru Fang,³James M. D. Day,⁴Marine Paquet,¹Julien Siebert
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the USA (PNAS) 22, e2422726122 Link to Article [https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.242272612]
¹Université Paris Cité, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, CNRS, Paris 75005, France
²Centre for Star and Planet Formation, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen K DK-1350, Denmark
³Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0244
⁴Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Nancy F-54000, France

The extent of moderately volatile elements (MVE) depletion and its effects on the Moon’s evolutionary history remain contentious, partly due to unintentionally biased sampling by the Apollo missions from the Procellarum KREEP Terrane. In this study, we analyzed the Zn and K isotope compositions of a series of lunar basaltic meteorites, which vary in Th content and are likely to represent a broader sampling range than previous studies, including samples from the far side of the Moon. Our findings indicate remarkably consistent Zn and K isotope compositions across all lunar basalt types, despite significant variations in Th content. This consistency suggests a relatively homogeneous isotopic composition of volatile elements within the Moon, unaffected by subsequent impact events that formed major basins. Our results suggest that the estimates of MVE abundance and isotopic compositions from the Apollo returned samples are likely representative of the bulk Moon, supporting a globally volatile-depleted lunar interior.