Fact sheet
76335 is a highly shocked anorthosite. It contains an orthopyroxene dominated assemblage which includes orthopyroxene, olivine, highly crushed plagioclase feldspar, chromite, phosphate and a new lunar mineral keiviite-Y. Merrillite, baddeleyite and zirkelite have also been reported.
This thin section has been used by researchers and shows residual carbon coating in fractures and what appear to be laser trails (black lines) crossing the sample.
The sample weighed 503 grams before analysis and is 4.28±0.06 billion years old (Sm/Nd).
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.