Dronino Meteorite
Find / Fall: Find – 2000
Location: Ryazanskaya oblast’, Russia
Classification: Iron, ungrouped (Ataxite)
Total Known Weight: 40 kg
Dronino is a meteorite with a great story and some fascinating aspects. Dronino was found in 2000 by a man returning from mushroom collecting in Russia. The mass he found was 40 kilograms. However, in 2003 an expedition found 600 other fragments totaling 3000 kilograms, the largest 250 kilograms. Dronino is an ataxite which means it is made of nearly pure kamacite. Therefore, like most ataxites it has no crystal pattern when etched. But, Dronino is classified as an ungrouped ataxite because of some peculiar composition in its trace elements. It is low in gold and gallium which set it apart from many other ataxites. The distribution of the fragments has led to a belief that the meteorite formed a 30 meter wide crater that is now completely invisible on the ground surface. The meteorite must be older than the 12th century since the area has been inhabited after that time. Dronino is a nice meteorite of a rare type that is also unusual on its own.
More Information on Meteoritical Bulletin Database
