Romashki        50°17.12’N, 46°41.98’E

Volgograd region, Russia

Found: 3 Oct 2009

Classification: Ordinary chondrite (L6)

History: A single stone was found by shepherd A.G. Satkanov close to the Romashki and Prigarino villages of the Pallasovsky district in the Volgograd region. The stone was partly exposed on the surface of a field. The sample was transferred to N.F. Kharitonov, the finder of the Pallasovka meteorite, who identified the stone as a meteorite. According to Kharitonov’s story, he observed a large fireball that was accompanied by a bright light and sounds over the Romashki-Prigarino area in 1971. Thus, he proposed that the stone could be related to that fireball.

Physical characteristics: One incomplete individual weighing 3400 g and 16x16x12 cm in size. It has a brown fusion crust, which is slightly oxidized. One side of the stone is chipped; the missing part was not found (15% or less in volume).

Petrography: (M. A. Ivanova, Vernad): The meteorite contains olivine, pyroxene, FeNi-metal, sulfides, chromites. Chondrules and their fragments are abundant (~80 vol%). The chondrules range in size from 0.2 to 0.6 mm, 0.3 mm on average. The chondrule margins are not clear and the meteorite contains different textural types of chondrules including BO, POP, and PP.

Geochemistry: Mineral compositions and geochemistry: (Borisovsky S., IGEM): Olivine is Fa_24.7, and low-Ca pyroxene is Fs_20.8Wo_1.62.

Classification: The meteorite is an ordinary chondrite of L group and petrological type 6, weathering grade is W1, and shock stage is S3.

Specimens: A 682 g piece and one thin section are on deposit at Vernad. UHM holds the main mass of the meteorite.