Hapkeite

Hapkeite is a mineral discovered in the Dhofar 280 meteorite found in 2000 in Oman on the Arabian peninsula. The meteorite is interpreted to originate from the Moon, specifically it appears to be a fragment of lunar highland breccia. Hapkeite's composition is of silicon and iron, and is similar to other silicon-iron minerals found on Earth. On the Moon an impact is thought to have launched the partially molten or vaporized material into orbit.

Due to its 1:2 composition of silicon-iron, hapkeite was given the chemical formula Fe₂Si. It occurs as opaque, yellowish to silvery microscopic isometric crystals.

It is named after University of Pittsburgh scientist Bruce Hapke, who predicted the presence and importance of vapor-deposited coatings on lunar soil grains about 30 years ago (see also space weathering).

ee also

*List of minerals
*List of minerals named after people

References

* [http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2003/pdf/1818.pdf Lunar and Planetary Science XXXIV (2003)] PDF format.
* [http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/101/18/6847?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Hapkeite&searchid=1134505993735_20542&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&journalcode=pnas Space weathering on airless planetary bodies: Clues from the lunar mineral hapkeite 2004 PNAS]
* [http://www.mindat.org/min-26419.html Mindat data]
* [http://webmineral.com/data/Hapkeite.shtml Webmineral data]