Brett Keller
I started collecting minerals in high school, then entered college
to study Mining Engineering. Unfortunately that was at a time in
the early 1990s when the bottom dropped out of the job market.
And so I sold my collection, moved to Lake Tahoe, and spent time
skiing while contemplating life. When I met my wife Andrea I
also fell in love with her hometown of Angels Camp in Calaveras
County, land of Mark Twain’s Jumping Frog, gold and … wine.
Inspired, I attended Fresno State University and then, after earning
a bachelor’s degree in Enology and Viticulture, helped establish our
family vineyard, where I am now owner and winemaker for our
Mineral Wines label (mineralwines.com).
In 2007, my six-year-old daughter helped rekindle my interest in
minerals when she began collecting pretty crystals from the road
rock in our driveway—which had come from the famous Carson
Hill mine. Our collection began with a few specimens purchased
on Ebay. We then decided to visit the Benitoite Gem mine. Our first
trip there started the fever, and I learned how to prepare benitoite
specimens under the expert tutelage of Rick Kennedy. Later I began
giving presentations on “The artistic impression of benitoite” at
shows, schools and clubs. Soon I was selling and trading specimens to help fund and enlarge my collection, which focuses on
two themes: first, of course, is benitoite (and other minerals from
San Benito County), and second are toenail-size small miniatures.
I look for vivid colors, crystal perfection and overall aesthetics for
display. The collection won Best of Show at the 2012 Tucson Gem
and Mineral Show.
Benitoite, from the
Dallas Gem mine,
San Benito County,
California, 5.8 cm,
self-etched from
older mine ore in
2010; Jeff Scovil
photo.
A bottle of Petit
Sirah and a
rhodochrosite,
3.3 cm, from the
Sweet Home Mine,
Alma , Colorado.
Ex Steve Sinotte
collection. Each of
the Mineral Wines
labels features the
art of Frederick
Wilda; Jeff Scovil
photo
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Supplement to The Mineralogical Record, November-December 2013
Smithsonite (Co-rich), 3.8 cm,
from the Tsumcorp mine, Tsumeb,
Namibia. Ex Lloyd Tate collection;
Jeff Scovil photo.
Uvite with
magnesite, 3.1 cm,
from the Brumado
mine, Bahia, Brazil
Ex Carl Acosta and
Roland Sherman
collections; Jeff
Scovil photo.
Amazonite and
smoky quartz,
3.4 cm, from the
Jewel Pocket,
Smoky Hawk mine,
Teller County,
Colorado; Jeff
Scovil Photo.
Azurite, with
arsentsumebite,
4.2 cm, from the
Tsumcorp mine,
Tsumeb, Namibia.
Ex Michael
Ridding collection;
Jeff Scovil photo.
Gold, 3.2 cm, from the DeMaria mine,
Placer County, California—coming to
a wine bottle soon. Ex John Barlow
collection; Joe Budd Photo.
Supplement to The Mineralogical Record, November-December 2013
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Zircon, 3.9 cm,
from Dara-i-Pech
pegmatite field,
Afghanistan. Ex
Herb Obodda
collection; Jeff
Scovil photo.
Pentagonite,
3.1 cm, from the
Wagholi quarry,
Pune, India; Jeff
Scovil photo.
Rose quartz, 4 cm,
from the Pitorra mine
near Laranjeiras,
Galiléia, Doce Valley,
Minas Gerais Brazil.
Jeff Scovil photo.
Vesuvianite, 3.8 cm,
from the Jeffrey mine,
Asbestos, Quebec,
Canada; Jeff Scovil
photo.
Elbaite, 3.8 cm, from the
Tourmaline King mine, Pala,
California. Ex John Sinkankas
collection; Jeff Scovil photo.
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Supplement to The Mineralogical Record, November-December 2013
Fresnoite on analcime with natrolite
crystals, 3.8 cm, from the Mother Load
Pocket, Junilla mine, San Benito County,
California; Jeff Scovil photo.
Fluorite with
aquamarine
“Alien Eye with
Aqua Lashes,”
3.3 cm, from the
Erongo Mountains,
Namibia. Ex Uli
Bahmann collection;
Jeff Scovil photo.
Neptunite, 3.1 cm
crystal on matrix,
field-collected
and self-etched in
March 2008, from
the Dallas Gem
mine, San Benito
County, California;
Jeff Scovil photo.
Pyromorphite, 4.2 cm, from the
Daoping mine, Guangxi Province,
China; Jeff Scovil photo.
Supplement to The Mineralogical Record, November-December 2013
Scheelite, 3.8 cm,
Mt. Xuebaoding,
Pingwu County,
Sechuan Province,
China; Jeff Scovil
photo.
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