From: george@wtfiswrongwithyou.com   
      
   "Joe Strout"  wrote in message   
   news:joe-1A7688.15530918062006@comcast.dca.giganews.com...   
   > I'm interested in finding places on the Moon where an asteroid has   
   > impacted, and left behind a deposit of elements not normally in   
   > abundance on the Moon.  (Some of our richest mines on Earth stem from   
   > such impacts.)  I'm thinking of things like precious metals, which are   
   > enriched in NEAs but rare on Earth and on the Moon (probably because   
   > they tend to sink to the center of any differentiated body).   
   >   
   > My thinking is that, while NEAs often offer a great selection of   
   > elements at a very affordable delta-V, they are often inconveniently far   
   > away.  Mining a deposit on the Moon might be substantially easier (and   
   > once a mass driver is in place, the delta-V for launching things from   
   > the Moon becomes mostly a non-issue).   
   >   
   > I'm starting to study the Clementine and Lunar Prospector data now, and   
   > catch up on some of the papers written about them.  And yes, I'm willing   
   > to do my homework.  But I'm wondering whether anyone here can give me a   
   > nudge in the right direction:   
   >   
   > What's the best way to hunt for these impact deposits?  Neither   
   > Clementine nor Lunar Prospector seem to have any direct way to detect   
   > things like platinum, but is there some particular pattern of the   
   > elements they do track (H, U, Th, K, O, Si, Mg, Fe, Ti, Al, and Ca)   
   > which would indicate "not ordinary lunar material"?   
   >   
   > Many thanks,   
   > - Joe   
      
   I think it is pie in the sky at the present time.  But if I had to make a   
   suggestion, I'd say try the Artistarchus plateau.  That would be the most   
   obviously place I would start my search.   
      
   George   
      
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