Fact sheet
72559 is a rake sample with an annealed feldspathic impactite texture. It has been described as an impact melt derived from anorthositic & troctolitic material and as a recrystallized norite. 72559 contains 75% plagioclase feldspar, 15% olivine (rotation 1) and 10% orthopyroxene, with minor augite, Mg-Al spinel, chromite, armalcolite, ilmenite, zircon, K-feldspar, metallic iron and troilite. Larger grains of plagioclase and olivine are set in a finer-grained granoblastic groundmass made up of plagioclase, olivine and orthopyroxene (rotation 2). The recrystallized and annealed groundmass is distinguished by triple-junction grain boundaries and larger poikilitic orthopyroxene enclosing smaller plagioclase and olivine.
The sample weighed 27.8 grams before analysis and has not been dated.
Further details of this and other Apollo samples are here: http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/
Apollo 17, the final manned landing mission, had two objectives: to obtain samples of ancient rocks from the lunar highlands and to look for evidence of younger volcanic activity on the valley floor.
This small Collection contains material deriving from both periods, including igneous rocks around 4.3 billion years old from the lunar highlands as well as younger volcanic samples dating from about 3.6 billion years ago.
Apollo 17 was launched on 7 December 1972.