1Heng-Ci Tian, 1Wei Yang, 2Huijuan Zhang, 1Jingyan Cai, 1Yangting Lin, 3Keqing Zong, 4Qi Liu, 5Feixiang Liu, 6Caihong Gao, 7Maoyong He
Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 131, e2026JE010077 Link to Article [DOI: 10.1029/2026JE010077]
1Key Laboratory of Planetary Science and Frontier Technology, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
2East China University of Technology, Nanchang, China
3State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
4State Key Laboratory of Critical Mineral Research and Exploration, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, China
5School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
6Research Center for Planetary Science, College of Earth Sciences, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, China
7State Key Laboratory of Loess Science, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an, China
Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons
To further constrain the lunar Li isotopic composition and its behavior during lunar magmatic differentiation, we measured twelve lunar meteorites, including mare basalts, Mg-suite rocks and anorthosites. Petrographic observation, dilute acid cleaning, and trace elemental characteristics indicate minimal terrestrial contamination. Low-Ti basalt meteorites yield a restricted δ7Li range (2.75 ± 0.52‰ to 3.95 ± 0.16‰), consistent with Apollo low-Ti basalts (3.1∼5.6‰). The Mg-rich norite Arguin 002 shows a similar value, supporting limited Li isotope fractionation during early lunar magma ocean (LMO) differentiation, a conclusion corroborated by modeling results of Li isotopic evolution during LMO differentiation. The heavier δ7Li in high-Ti basalts, however, points to the presence of interaction between ilmenite-bearing cumulate-derived melts and the ambient mantle rather than to simple late-stage LMO differentiation. Combining the reported Apollo and La Paz mare basalt meteorites data, we estimate the lunar mantle δ7Li to be 3.8 ± 1.3‰, indistinguishable from the Earth’s mantle, implying negligible fractionation during the Giant Impact. In contrast, lunar anorthosites exhibit extreme δ7Li variations (−0.7‰ to 9.8‰) with a negative correlation with Li content, likely reflecting impact-driven secondary redistribution. These findings not only confirm the Earth-Moon Li isotopic similarity using meteorites from diverse lunar terrains that complement the Apollo collection but also reveal that the lunar crust has been pervasively modified by impact processes, which have significantly disturbed its primary Li isotopic compositions.
