Meteorite Dronino – Ryazan district, Russia

The Dronino meteorite is classified as an iron meteorite of the ataxite type containing sulphide inclusions. Most of its meteoric iron is kamacite, with minor amounts of rare taenite. The first fragment of the Dronino meteorite, which weighed over 40 kg, was discovered by a Moscow resident while collecting mushrooms in 2000 near the village of Dronino, about 20 km southeast of the city of Ryazan, Russia, but it was only identified as a meteorite in 2003. Later that year, scientific expeditions were organised and together with meteorite hunters they collected more than 600 more fragments weighing a total of 3 000 kg, with the largest single piece weighing 250 kg.

Historical records of the meteorite's impact are lacking, and it is therefore estimated that the meteorite fell earlier than the 12th century, when the area was largely uninhabited, suggesting that the fall may have occurred much earlier. This estimate is based on the extent and depth of the meteorite fragments found, which were scattered over an area of 0.5 x 1.5 kilometres. Based on the distribution of meteorite fragments, it is estimated that the impact created a crater 30 metres in diameter. The total weight of the fragments found exceeds 3 tonnes, with the largest individual pieces weighing several hundred kilograms.