On the 22nd, it was learned from the China Geological Survey of the Ministry of Natural Resources that the lunar new mineral, cerium magnesium Chang'e stone, discovered and declared by the team of Academician Hou Zengqian from the National Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Exploration and Mineral Exploration of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, has been officially approved through the evaluation and voting of the International Mineralogical Society's New Mineral Naming and Classification Professional Committee. This is the eleventh lunar mineral discovered by humans, and the third lunar mineral discovered in lunar meteorites after research teams from the United States and Germany. Cerium magnesium Chang'e stone is a new rare earth phosphate mineral belonging to the trigonal crystal system. Cerium and magnesium respectively represent minerals rich in rare earth elements cerium and magnesium, while Chang'e stone embodies the cultural heritage of China's lunar exploration project. It is reported that cerium magnesium Chang'e stone is colorless and transparent, with a glassy luster, brittle nature, shell like fracture surface, and exhibits obvious fluorescence effect. This mineral mainly occurs in the form of semi automorphic granular or automorphic columnar structures at the edges of plagioclase, magnesioolivine, and fluorapatite, with particle sizes ranging from 3 to 25 microns, generally less than 10 microns. It is reported that cerium magnesium Chang'e stone was discovered in the first lunar meteorite to fall within the territory of China - Pakepake005 meteorite. This lunar meteorite was discovered on January 22, 2024 in the Taklamakan Desert of Xinjiang. With the approval of the International Meteorology Society Naming Committee, it became the first lunar meteorite to fall within the territory of China and was officially approved. It is a single spherical meteorite weighing 44 grams, covered with a dark colored crust on its surface, and visible white and dark fragments of plagioclase. After identification, the meteorite is a lunar detrital breccia containing variable pyroxene and plagioclase fragments, with a matrix of small mineral fragments. During the study of the Pakepake005 lunar meteorite sample, the research team discovered a mineral that is unknown in nature. Through a series of tests such as physical property determination, spectral vibration research, chemical composition analysis, and crystal structure refinement, it was ultimately confirmed to be a new mineral in the magnesium rich and light rare earth meteorite group. In addition, as the first discoverer of cerium magnesium Chang'e stone, Dr. Wang Yanjuan, a member of the team, also conducted a systematic comparative study of lunar and Martian meteorites, as well as meteorite phosphorite in ultra deep diamond inclusions on Earth. Research has found that the chemical composition of meteorites in lunar soil is much more complex than previously understood, with multiple crystalline sites containing both isovalent and heterovalent elements. Therefore, different combinations of potential electricity price balance mechanisms may be derived, which is of great significance for lunar research. At present, the prototype and isotype specimens of cerium magnesium Chang'e stone are respectively held in the collections of the China Geological Museum and the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences. The discovery of cerium magnesium Chang'e stone provides key mineralogical evidence for understanding the origin and evolution of the moon. Its unique luminescent properties can provide important references for the research of new luminescent materials, which is another important achievement in China's basic scientific research and a milestone scientific breakthrough, expanding the boundaries of human understanding of the material world. (New Society)