A lunar regolith simulant is a terrestrial material synthesized in order to approximate the chemical, mechanical, engineering, mineralogical, or particle-size distribution properties of lunar regolith.[1] Lunar regolith simulants are used by researchers who wish to research the materials handling, excavation, transportation, and uses of lunar regolith. Samples of actual lunar regolith are too scarce, and too small, for such research, and have been contaminated by exposure to Earth's atmosphere.