--- title: "Sensation on the Kola Peninsula: Mineral 'Kola-Ashcroftine' Found, Worth Times More Than Gold" description: "Russian scientists have caused a sensation by discovering a new mineral, 'kola-ashcroftine', on the Kola Peninsula πŸ’Ž. Its cost is several times higher than the price of gold, and its unique composition containing yttrium could revolutionize the high-tech industry πŸ‡·πŸ‡ΊπŸ”¬." date: 2026-08-02T14:49:36.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/sensation-on-the-kola-peninsula-mineral-kola-ashcroftine-found-worth-times-more-than-gold tags: [kola-peninsula, ashcroftine, rare-earth-elements, russian-science, mineralogy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Sensation on the Kola Peninsula: Mineral 'Kola-Ashcroftine' Found, Worth Times More Than Gold ![Iridescent blue-purple specimen of Kola-Ashcroftine mineral displayed beside gold bars β€” symbolizing the ultra-valuable discovery on the Kola Peninsula](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/02/senstsiya-na-kolsem-poluostrove-nayden-mineral-kola-ashkroftin-v-razy-dorozhe-zolota/senstsiya-na-kolsem-poluostrove-nayden-mineral-kola-ashkroftin-v-razy-dorozhe-zolota-1.webp) A true sensation has rocked the world of science and geology. Russian researchers have discovered a unique mineral on the Kola Peninsula, previously unknown to science. The new find, named 'kola-ashcroftine', possesses an extremely complex crystallographic structure and chemical composition that makes it several times more valuable than pure gold. ### Historical Discovery in the Khibiny According to RIA Novosti, citing the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the discovery is the result of large-scale joint work by leading scientific institutions in the country. The study involved the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg State University, and the Fersman Mineralogical Museum. The unique specimen was found at the Kirovsk mine, located in the famous Khibiny massif. Initially, geologists were unable to identify the unusual stone, comparing it with standard minerals, and sent it to the laboratory as an 'unknown sample'. Only after in-depth analysis was the find confirmed to belong to a fundamentally new species. ### Price Exceeding Gold One of the main characteristics of the new mineral is its economic valuation. According to preliminary calculations by specialists, the average cost of the 'kola-ashcroftine' patina reaches $145 (about 12,470 rubles) per millimeter. This figure exceeds the price of gold on the world market several times over. Industry experts emphasize that the price set for the minimum sample size makes 'kola-ashcroftine' one of the most expensive and rare minerals on the planet. ### Unique Chemical Composition 'Kola-ashcroftine' differs radically from classic silicates. Its composition was found to contain silicon, potassium, sodium, and, most importantly, a rare earth element β€” yttrium. This component is extremely important for the development of high technology and modern industry. The mineral also possesses one of the most complex and perfect atomic lattices among all crystals known to science. In global practice, classic ashcroftine (pink, transparent, and brittle) was previously found in Greenland, Canada, and Italy. However, the specimen from the Kola Peninsula is unique in that it combines calcium, manganese, and fluorine, making it one of a kind. ### Prospects for High Technology Russian scientists plan to continue studying the physicochemical properties of the new find. The presence of yttrium and other rare elements opens up prospects for using the mineral in the creation of high-tech industry, quantum electronics, and superconducting materials. The discovery of 'kola-ashcroftine' is not just a geological fact, but proof of the huge riches still hidden in the bowels of the Earth. This event has become an important historical step for Russian fundamental science.