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C. L. Chou

Publications and source records attributed to C. L. Chou.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2007

Factors that influence the extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coal

Coal samples and carbonaceous mudstone were collected from the Huaibei coalfield, China, and experiments investigating the factors influencing the extraction of the sixteen US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were carried out. Different extraction times, solvents, and methods were used. Major interest was focused on finding optimum conditions for extracting the PAHs from coal. We conclude that (1) coal composition, including the H/C and O/C ratios, is an important factor for the distribution of PAHs in coals; (2) the total amount of EPA priority PAHs increases with increasing extraction time, 30 min being suitable for ultrasonic-assisted extraction and 24 h for Soxhlet extraction; (3) CS2 is effective in extracting low molecular weight PAHs, while CH2Cl2 is better for extracting high molecular weight PAHs (both are excellent extraction solvents vs hexane); (4) both Soxhlet and ultrasonic extraction showed a similar PAH concentration profile, but the ultrasonic method is less efficient. ?? 2007 American Chemical Society.

Energy and Fuels↗
USGS2007

Geochemistry of rare earth elements in Permian coals from the Huaibei Coalfield, China

The rare earth elements (REEs) in coals are important because of: (a) REE patterns can be an indicator of the nature of source rocks of the mineral matter as well as sedimentary environments; (b) REEs abundance in coal may have industrial-significance. In this study, a total of thirty-four samples of Permian coal, partings, roof, and floor were collected from the Huaibei Coalfield, Anhui Province, China. Abundances of rare earth elements (REEs) and other elements in the samples were determined by inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled-plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results show that the REEs are enriched in coals in the Huaibei Coalfield as compared with Chinese and U.S. coals and the world coal average. Coals in the Lower Shihezi Formation (No. 7, 5, and 4 Coals) and Upper Shihezi Formation (No. 3) have higher REE abundances than the coals in Shanxi Formation (No. 10). Magmatic intrusion resulted in high enrichment of REEs concentrations in No. 5 and 7 Coals. The REE abundances are positively correlated with the ash content. The mineral matter in these coals is mainly made up of clay minerals and carbonates. The REEs are positively correlated with lithophile elements including Si, Al, Ti, Fe, and Na, which are mainly distributed in clay minerals, indicating that REEs are contained mainly in clay minerals. The REE abundances in coals normalized by the ash are higher than that in partings. REEs abundances of coals cannot be accounted for by the REE content in the mineral matter, and some REEs associated with organic matter in coals. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences↗
USGS2007

The distribution, occurrence and environmental effect of mercury in Chinese coals

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic, persistent, and globally distributed pollutant due to its characteristic properties such as low melting and boiling points, conversion between chemical forms and participation in biological cycles. During combustion mercury in coal is almost totally emitted to the atmosphere. With a huge amount of coal consumed, coal combustion is one of the main anthropogenic sources of this element in the environment. In this study, Hg data of 1699 coal samples of China has been compiled, and the concentration, distribution, modes of occurrence, and the impact of Hg emissions on the environment are investigated. Most Chinese coals have Hg content in the range of 0.1 to 0.3??ppm, with an average of 0.19??ppm, which is slightly higher than the average Hg content of world coals and is close to that of the U.S. coals. The Hg content in coals varies in different coal basins, geological ages and coal ranks. The most likely mode of occurrences of Hg in high-sulfur and high Hg content coals is as solid solution in pyrite. But in low-sulfur coals, modes of occurrence of Hg are variable, and the organic-bound and sulfide-bound Hg may dominate. Silicate-bound Hg may be the main form in some coals because of magmatic intrusion. Mercury emissions during coal combustion have resulted in serious environmental contamination in China, particularly in the northeastern and southwestern China, where a high Hg content in the atmosphere occurs. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Science of the Total Environment↗
USGS2007

Occurrence and origin of minerals in a chamosite-bearing coal of Late Permian age, Zhaotong, Yunnan, China

The minerals found in the no.5 coal (Late Permian) from the Zhaotong Coalfield, Yunnan Province, southwestern China, have been examined and found to consist mainly of kaolinite, pyrite, chamosite, quartz, and calcite, with trace amounts of illite and mixed-layer illite-smectite. The proportion of chamosite in clay minerals ranges from 32 to 56 wt%, with an average of 46 wt%. Chamosite is distributed not only in collodetrinite, but also occurs as cell fillings in fusinite, semifusinite, and telinite. The high content and mode of occurrence of chamosite in this mine indicate its formation by interaction of kaolinite with Fe-Mg-rich fluids during early diagenesis. Except for a minor amount of terfigenous quartz, most quartz is of authigenic origin and formed from kaolinite desilication. The calcite content of the no. 5 coal is 1.4-6.3% (with an average of 3%) and is distributed in collodetrinite and as cell fillings of coal-forming plants. Calcite originated from seawater invasion during peat accumulation. Pyrite occurs in several ways: as massive, framboidal, isolated enhedral/ anhedral, and euhedral forms. In addition, the presence of a large amount of pyritized red algae provides strong evidence of seawater invasion during peat accumulation. The red algae may have played an important role in the enrichment of sulfur in the coal. The characteristic assemblage of minerals in this mine resulted from a unique basinal environment in which the mineral matter was derived from a basaltic source region, volcanic activity, and seawater transgression during coal formation.

American Mineralogist↗
USGS2006

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the No. 6 Coal (Pennsylvanian) in the Junger Coalfield, Ordos Basin, China

This paper discusses the mineralogy and geochemistry of the No. 6 Coal (Pennsylvanian) in the Junger Coalfield, Ordos Basin, China. The results show that the vitrinite reflectance (0.58%) is lowest and the proportions of inertinite and liptinite (37.4% and 7.1%, respectively) in the No. 6 Coal of the Junger Coalfield are highest among all of the Late Paleozoic coals in the Ordos Basin. The No. 6 Coal may be divided vertically into four sections based on their mineral compositions and elemental concentrations. A high boehmite content (mean 6.1%) was identified in the No. 6 Coal. The minerals associated with the boehmite in the coal include goyazite, rutile, zircon, and Pb-bearing minerals (galena, clausthalite, and selenio-galena). The boehmite is derived from weathered and oxidized bauxite in the weathered crust of the underlying Benxi Formation (Pennsylvanian). A high Pb-bearing mineral content of samples ZG6-2 and ZG6-3 is likely of hydrothermal origin. The No. 6 coal is enriched in Ga (44.8 ??g/g), Se (8.2 ??g/g), Sr (423 ??g/g), Zr (234 ??g/g), REEs (193.3 ??g/g), Hg (0.35 ??g/g), Pb (35.7 ??g/ g), and Th (17.8 ??g/g). Gallium and Th in the No. 6 Coal mainly occur in boehmite, and the Pb-bearing selenide and sulfide minerals contribute not only to Se and Pb contents in the coal, but also probably to Hg content. A high Zr content is attributed to the presence of zircon, and Sr is related to goyazite. The REEs in the coal are supplied from the sediment-source region, and the REEs leached from the adjacent partings by groundwater. ?? 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2006

Petrography and geochemistry of the Middle Devonian coal from Luquan, Yunnan Province, China

Coals from Luquan, Yunnan Province, China, have high contents of cutinite and microsporinite, with an average of 55 and 33.5 vol%, respectively, (on a mineral-free basis). The coals are classified as cutinitic liptobiolith, sporinite-rich durain, cutinite-rich durain, and sporinitic liptobiolith. These four liptinite-rich coals are often interlayered within the coal bed section and vary transversely within the coal bed. The vitrinite content varies from as low as 1.6-20.5% (mineral-free basis), and it is dominated by collodetrinite, collotelinite, and corpogelinite. The maceral composition may be attributed to the type of the peat-forming plant communities. Moreover, the Luquan coals are characterized by high contents of volatile matter, hydrogen, and oxygen, and the high values of the atomic hydrogen to carbon ratio as a result of the maceral composition. As compared with the common Chinese coals and the upper continental crust, the Luquan coals are enriched in Li, B, Cu, Ga, Se, Rb, Mo, Ba, Pb, Bi, and U, with averages of 99.9, 250, 111, 24.4, 4.55, 130, 58.8, 1276, 162, 3.85, and 34.1 ??g/g, respectively. The SEM-EDX results show that V, Cr, Ga, and Rb occur mainly in clay minerals, and Cu and Pb are associated with clay minerals and pyrite, and Mo and U are mainly in clay minerals and organic matter. Barite and clay minerals are the main carrier of barium. The high B and U contents are probably resulted from deep seawater influence during coal formation. ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fuel↗
USGS2006

Research on genesis of pyrite near the Permian-Triassic boundary in meishan, Zhejiang, China

The content and crystal forms of pyrite and sulfur isotope composition of pyrite sulfur as well as its vertical distribution near the Permian-Triassic (P/T) boundary in the Meishan section, Changxing county, Zhejiang province, China were studied using geological, petrological, mineralogical and geochemical methods (techniques). The result showed that the genesis of abundant pyrites in bed 24e2 at the uppermost part of the Changxing Formation in the Meishan section may be related to volcanic activity. In bed 24e2 of the Meishan section, pyrite has its highest content of 1.84% and the sulfur isotope composition has the highest ??34S value at + 2.2??? which is very similar to that of the average value of volcanic gas. There are some volcanic products such as ??-quartz, siliceous cylinders and siliceous spherules which coexisted with pyrites in beds 24e2 and 24f. It can be concluded that a large quantity of volcanic ash fell into the South China Sea and was incorporated into marine sediments during the formation of limestone at the uppermost part of the Changxing Formation. The volcanic eruption with massive amounts of H2S and S02 gas at the end of the Permian period resulted in the enrichment of H2S in the South China Sea areas. The reaction of H2S with reactive iron minerals formed the mass of abundant pyrites.

Journal of China University of Mining and Technolo↗
USGS2006

Mineralogical anomalies and their influences on elemental geochemistry of the main workable coal beds from the Dafang Coalfield, Guizhou, China

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the No. 11 Coal bed were investigated by using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), sequential chemical extraction procedure (SCEP), and optical microscopy. The results show that the No. 11 Coal bed has very high contents of veined quartz (Vol. 11.4%) and veined ankerite (Vol. 10.2 %). The veined ankerite was generally coated by goethite and the veined quartz embraced chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and selenio-galena. In addition, a trace amount of kaolinite was filled in the veins. These seven minerals often occur in the same veins. The formation temperatures of the veined ankerite and quartz are 85??C and 180??C respectively, indicating their origins of iron-rich calcic and siliceous low-temperature hydrothermal fluids in different epigenetic periods. Studies have also found that the veined quartz probably formed earlier than the veined ankerite, and at least three distinct ankerite formation stages were observed by the ration of Ca/Sr and Fe/Mn of ankerite. The mineral formation from the early to late stage is in order of sulfide, quartz, kaolinite, ankerite, and goethite. The veined ankerite is the dominant source of Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn, which are as high as 0.09%, 74.0 ??g/g, 33.6 ??g/g, 185 ??g/g, and 289 ??g/g in this coal seam, respectively. However, the veined quartz is the main carrier of Pd, Pt, and Ir, which are 1.57 ??g/g, 0.15 ??g/g, and 0.007 ??g/g in this coal seam, respectively. In addition, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and selenio-galena of hydrothermal origin were determined in the veined quartz, and these three sulfide minerals are also important carriers of Cu, Zn and Pb in the No. 11 Coal bed.

Acta Geologica Sinica↗
USGS2005

Mineralogy and geochemistry of a Late Permian coal in the Dafang Coalfield, Guizhou, China: Influence from siliceous and iron-rich calcic hydrothermal fluids

This paper describes the influence of siliceous and iron-rich calcic low-temperature hydrothermal fluids (LTHF) on the mineralogy and geochemistry of the Late Permian No. 11 Coal (anthracitic, Rr =2.85%) in the Dafang Coalfield in northwestern Guizhou Province, China. The No. 11 Coal has high contents of vein ankerite (10.2 vol.%) and vein quartz (11.4 vol.%), with formation temperatures of 85 and 180 ??C, respectively, indicating that vein ankerite and vein quartz were derived from low-temperature calcic and siliceous hydrothermal fluids in two epigenetic episodes. The vein quartz appears to have formed earlier than vein ankerite did, and at least three distinct stages of ankerite formation with different Ca/Sr and Fe/Mn ratios were observed. The two types of mineral veins are sources of different suites of major and trace metals. Scanning electron microscope and sequential extraction studies show that, in addition to Fe, Mg, and Ca, vein ankerite is the dominant source of Mn, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the coal, and the contents of these five elements are as high as 0.09% and 74.0, 33.6, 185, and 289 ??g/g, respectively. In contrast, vein quartz is the main carrier mineral for platinum-group elements (PGEs) Pd, Pt, and Ir in the coal, and the contents of Pd, Pt, and Ir are 1.57, 0.15, and 0.007 ??g/g, respectively. Sequential extraction showed a high PGE content in the silicate fraction, up to 10.4 ??g/g Pd, 1.23 ??g/g Pt, and 0.05 ??g/g Ir, respectively. It is concluded that the formation of ankerite and quartz and the anomalous enrichment of trace elements in the No. 11 Coal in the Dafang Coalfield, Guizhou, result from the influx of calcic and siliceous low-temperature hydrothermal fluids. ?? 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2004

Mineral matter and potentially hazardous trace elements in coals from Qianxi Fault Depression Area in southwestern Guizhou, China

Mineralogy, coal chemistry and 21 potentially hazardous trace elements (PHTEs) of 44 coal samples from the Qianxi Fault Depression Area (QFDA) in southwestern Guizhou province, China have been systematically studied. The major minerals in coals studied are quartz, kaolinite, illite, pyrite, calcite, smectite, marcasite and accessory minerals, including rutile, dolomite, siderite, gypsum, chlorite, melanterite, apatite, collophane and florencite. The SiO2 content shows a broad variation (0.8-30.7%). A high SiO2 content in Late Permian coals reflects their enrichment in quartz. The Al2O3 content varies from 0.8% to 13.4%, Fe2O3 from 0.2% to 14.6%, CaO from <0.1% to 11.9% and the contents of other oxides are relatively low. The relationship between the major oxides and the ash content of coals from high to low is in the order of Si>Al>K>Ti>Na>Mg>Ca>Fe>S. A comparison with World coal averages shows that the Late Permian coals in QFDA are highly enriched in As, Hg, F and U, and are slightly enriched in Mo, Se, Th, V and Zn. The Late Triassic coals in QFDA are highly enriched in As and Hg, and are slightly enriched in Mo, Th and U. The concentrations of As, Hg, Mo, Se, Tl and Zn in the QFDA coal are higher than other Guizhou coal and Liupanshui coal nearby. The QFDA is an area strongly affected by the low-temperature hydrothermal activity during its geologic history (Yanshanian Age, about 189 Ma). The coals in QFDA are enriched in volatile PHTEs, including As, Hg, Se, Sb, Mo, among others. The regions where the coals are enriched in As, Hg and F have been mapped. The regions of coals enriched in volatile PHTEs overlap with the regions of noble metal ore deposits. These coals are located in the cores of anticline and anticlinorium, which are connected with the profound faults through the normal faults. Coals are enriched in volatile PHTEs as a result of the low-temperature hydrothermal activity associated with tectonic faulting. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS2004

Petrographic and geochemical contrasts and environmentally significant trace elements in marine-influenced coal seams, Yanzhou mining area, China

The Yanzhou mining area in west Shandong Province, China contains coals of Permian and Carboniferous age. The 31 and 32 seams of the Permian Shanxi Formation and seams 6, 15-17 of the Carboniferous Taiyuan Formation were analyzed for coal petrology, mineralogy and geochemical parameters. The parameters indicate that the coal is high volatile bituminous in rank. The coal is characterized by high vitrinite and low to medium inertinite and liptinite contents. These properties may be related to evolution of the coal forming environment from more reducing conditions in a marine influenced lower delta plain environment for the early Taiyuan coals to more oxidizing paleoenvironments in an upper delta plain for the upper Shanxi coal seams. The major mineral phases present in the coal are quartz, kaolinite, pyrite and calcite. Sulfur is one of the hazardous elements in coal. The major forms of sulfur in coal are pyritic, organic and sulfate sulfur. Pyritic and organic sulfur generally account for the bulk of the sulfur in coal. Elemental sulfur also occurs in coal, but only in trace to minor amounts. In this paper, the distribution and concentration of sulfur in the Yanzhou mining district are analyzed, and the forms of sulfur are studied. The sulfur content of the Taiyuan coal seams is considerably higher than that of the Shanxi coals. Organic sulfur content is positively correlated to total and pyritic sulfur. The vertical variation of Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Th, U and sulfur contents in coal seam 3 of the Shanxi Formation in the Xinglongzhuang mine show that all these trace elements, with the exception of Th, are enriched in the top and bottom plies of the seam, and that their concentrations are also relatively high in the dirt bands within the seam. The pyritic sulfur is positively correlated with total sulfur, and both are enriched in the top, bottom and parting plies of the seam. The concentrations of the trace elements are closely related to sulfur and ash contents. Most of the trace elements are correlated with the ash content, and may be associated with the mineral matter in the coal. ?? 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Journal of Asian Earth Sciences↗
USGS2004

Distribution of potentially hazardous trace elements in coals from Shanxi province, China

Shanxi province, located in the center of China, is the biggest coal base of China. There are five coal-forming periods in Shanxi province: Late Carboniferous (Taiyuan Formation), Early Permian (Shanxi Formation), Middle Jurassic (Datong Formation), Tertiary (Taxigou Formation), and Quaternary. Hundred and ten coal samples and a peat sample from Shanxi province were collected and the contents of 20 potentially hazardous trace elements (PHTEs) (As, B, Ba, Cd, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, F, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Th, U, V and Zn) in these samples were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis, atomic absorption spectrometry, cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry, ion chromatography spectrometry, and wet chemical analysis. The result shows that the brown coals are enriched in As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, F and Zn compared with the bituminous coals and anthracite, whereas the bituminous coals are enriched in B, Cl, Hg, and the anthracite is enriched in Cl, Hg, U and V. A comparison with world averages and crustal abundances (Clarke values) shows that the Quaternary peat is highly enriched in As and Mo, Tertiary brown coals are highly enriched in Cd, Middle Jurassic coals, Early Permian coals and Late Carboniferous coals are enriched in Hg. According to the coal ranks, the bituminous coals are highly enriched in Hg, whereas Cd, F and Th show low enrichments, and the anthracite is also highly enriched in Hg and low enrichment in Th. The concentrations of Cd, F, Hg and Th in Shanxi coals are more than world arithmetic means of concentrations for the corresponding elements. Comparing with the United States coals, Shanxi coals show higher concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb, Se and Th. Most of Shanxi coals contain lower concentrations of PHTEs. ?? 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fuel↗
USGS2002

Trace element abundances in major minerals of Late Permian coals from southwestern Guizhou province, China

Fourteen samples of minerals were separated by handpicking from Late Permian coals in southwestern Guizhou province, China. These 14 minerals were nodular pyrite, massive recrystallized pyrite, pyrite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid and from ground water; clay minerals; and calcite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid and from ground water. The mineralogy, elemental composition, and distribution of 33 elements in these samples were studied by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS), atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS), inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and ion-selective electrode (ISE). The results show that various minerals in coal contain variable amounts of trace elements. Clay minerals have high concentrations of Ba, Be, Cs, F, Ga, Nb, Rb, Th, U, and Zr. Quartz has little contribution to the concentration of trace elements in bulk coal. Arsenic, Mn, and Sr are in high concentrations in calcite. Pyrite has high concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, Mo, Sb, Se, Tl, and Zn. Different genetic types of calcite in coal can accumulate different trace elements; for example Ba, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni, Rb, Sn, Sr, and Zn are in higher concentrations in calcite deposited from low-temperature hydrothermal fluid than in that deposited from ground water. Furthermore, the concentrations of some trace elements are quite variable in pyrite; different genetic types of pyrites (Py-A, B, C, D) have different concentrations of trace elements, and the concentrations of trace elements are also different in pyrite of low-temperature hydrothermal origin collected from different locations. The study shows that elemental concentration is rather uniform in a pyrite vein. There are many micron and submicron mosaic pyrites in a pyrite vein, which is enriched in some trace elements, such as As and Mo. The content of trace element in pyrite vein depends upon the content of mosaic pyrite and of trace elements in it. Many environmentally sensitive trace elements are mainly contained in the minerals in coal, and hence the physical coal cleaning techniques can remove minerals from coal and decrease the emissions of potentially hazardous trace elements. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

International Journal of Coal Geology↗
USGS1987

INAA determination of major and trace elements in loess, paleosol and precipitation layers in a pleistocene Loess Section, China

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used for the determination of 31 major and trace elements in 32 samples from the Xinji Loess Section, Shaanxi Province, China. Interferences, including those from uranium fission products, were evaluated and corrections applied where necessary. The 39.7-meter deep section comprises of Lishi Loess of the middle Pleistocene (Q2) and Malan Loess of the late Pleistocene (Q3). The section is characterized by the presence of 5 layers of paleosol, and each paleosol is underlain by a precipitation layer. When the elemental abundances are converted to a carbonate-free basis, there is little compositional difference among the carbonate-free fractions of loess, paleosol and precipitation layers. This indicates that dissolution of carbonate minerals by downward-moving surface water was an important process in paleosol formation while other minerals were not severely weathered and elemental fractionation was minimal. The parent materials of the paleosol and precipitation layers closely resemble the loess layers in their elemental abundances, which suggests that all layers in the section have a compositionally similar source. ?? 1987 Akade??miai Kiado??.

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry A↗
USGS1975

Compositional evidence regarding the influx of interplanetary materials onto the lunar surface

Siderophilic element/Ir ratios are higher in mature lunar soils from highlands sites than in those from mare sites. We infer that the population of materials responsible for the early intense bombardment of the Moon had high ratios, and that the population responsible for the essentially constant flux has low ratios. No group of chondrites has siderophile/Ir ratios identical to those in the mare or highlands soils; CM chondrites are the most similar, and CM-like materials may account for a major fraction of Earth-crossing materials during the past 3.7 b.y. Siderophile/Ir ratios may be used to determine the amount of highlands regolith in soils or breccias from the mare-highlands interface areas (Apollo 15 and 17), and to infer the time of formation of highlands breccias whose sideropbiles originated in mature soils. Arguments are summarized against the viewpoint that the siderophiles in most highlands breccias originated in basin-forming projectiles. Differences in mature soil siderophile concentrations at Apollo 14 and 16 indicate a substantially greater concentration at the latter site immediately following the Imbrium event. Siderophile concentrations are used to estimate mean regolith depths at the landing sites; as relative values these are more precise than estimates based on seismic or crater observations. The longlived flux is calculated to be 2.9 g cm −2 b.y. −1 averaged over the past 3.7 b.y. A consideration of the relationship between mass fluence and time indicates that the mass flux decreased with a half-life of about 40 m.y. immediately following the Imbrium event.

The Moon↗