Although the samples have been carefully stored at NASA Johnson Space Center since their return to Earth, we had to extensively pre-clean the samples using a new method to remove terrestrial lead contamination.
Which is it?
It was either carefully stored or it was contaminated. It can't be both.
As to the age theory, nothing in the article supports or excludes any of many other possible theories about the formation of the moon. Or even a hint of, if the age is different from earth's age, but was once part of it, what are the possible explanations?
There is just an unpleasant whiff of James Hansenism in the whole thing.
>>> we had to extensively pre-clean the samples using a new method to remove terrestrial lead contamination.
Perhaps that implies samples were stored in lead-lined containers.