Benitoite

[JC w KC redux]

Okay clink.

I have looked at information related to benitoite until I am blue in the face.

The history of the original mine was cool but I have decided I just don't care

[clink]

Johnny is stoked on it.

We went to the mine by Fremont's Peak. He encountered a good size rattle snake on the trail while he was in front of me. At 6:30 PM a mountain lion ran up from a creek crossed the road 40ft in front of us, then ran up a steep hillside.

[JC w KC redux]

From GeologyCafe.com
The small mines were dug to gather barite and travertine ore that was processed for paint (whitewash) for the Mexican communities in the region.

Did you slide around on the marble up top?
That marble is old seafloor metamorphosed by igneous intrusions and uplifted by the mighty San Andreas.
The same marble (part of the Sur Series) is exposed on the UCSC campus.