What's in a Name?

Mineral Matters #614

Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the 1933 novel "Lost Horizon" by British author James Hilton. It is depicted as a mystical, harmonious valley, a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. The name has become synonymous with any earthly paradise, particularly a mythical Himalayan utopia—a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world.

The name has been used a few times:

• A county in Yunnan Province, China, was renamed Shangri-La in 2001 to increase tourism, inspired by the same novel.

• Similarly, the name "Shangri-La" has been used for hotels, resorts, and other locations to convey a sense of peace and luxury.

• A retreat for U.S. presidents, Camp David, which was originally called "Shangri-La".

• A small mining area in Western Australia, near Kununurra.

The search for a real Shangri-La has inspired numerous expeditions and explorations in the Himalayas. The allure of finding a hidden paradise has captivated adventurers and continues to fuel tourism in regions associated with the myth.

I wonder if this had something to do with naming the Shangri-La mines in Western Australia. According to Mindat, it was discovered in 1962 by Kununurra prospector Peter Costeo, who kept the discovery a secret until he pegged the lease in 1966. Secret miner’s business!

Here are a few mineral specimens from the mine.

Below: Chrysocolla, Hemimorphite, Quartz, Shangri La Mine, Kununurra, Western Australia. Width of view 3mm.

Below: Chalcopyrite, Shangri La Mine, Kununurra, Western Australia. Width of view 5.75mm.

Below: Chrysocolla, Malachite, Shangri La Mine, Kununurra, Western Australia. Width of view 11.5mm.