MAGNETIC BENEFICIATION OF LUNAR SOIL

ETCI WILL MEASURE THE MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY AND PARTICLE SIZE DEPENDENCIES OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIAL RECOVERED FROM THE -150 MICRON SIZE FRACTIONS OF FIVE (5) LUNAR HIGHLAND AND MARE SOIL SAMPLES BY DRY MAGNETIC SEPARATION METHODS. THE MEASUREMENTS WILL TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF MAGNETIC RECOVERY OF ILMENITE (A SOURCE OF (3)HE, OXYGEN, TITANIUM, IRON, AND SULFUR), AGGLUTINATES (A SOURCE OF ELEMENTAL IRON), GLASSY COMPONENTS (A SOURCE OF REFRACTORIES), AND ANORTHITE (A FEEDSTOCK FOR ELECTRO-CHEMICAL PRODUCTION OF VALUABLE ELEMENTS INCLUDING 02, SI, A1, AND CA). ETCI WILL PREPARE A PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF A PARATRAP MAGNETIC SEPARATOR FOR USE IN PHASE II. THE SEPARATOR WILL BE DESIGNED FOR CONTINUOUS DRY BENEFICIATION OF FEEBLY MAGNETIC AND FINE SIZED LUNAR SOILS UNDER CONDITIONS SIMULATING THE LUNAR ENVIRONMENT. ADDITIONALLY, ETCI WILL PREPARE A PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR LUNAR SIMULANTS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE WORK OF PHASE II.