The Leach Creek occurrence is located approximately 22 kilometres northeast of Fernie, British Columbia, in the Crowsnest coalfield.

Up to 11 coal seams are present in the Leach Creek North area in a sequence of sandstone, siltstone and shale of the Jurassic-Cretaceous Mist Mountain Formation (Kootenay Group). Coal seam thicknesses vary from 1.5 to 10.7 metres. The number of seams decreases to eight in the Leach Creek South (Middle part) area with seam thicknesses ranging from 3.0 to 16.8 metres, and to 5 in the south half of the Leach River South area (thicknesses from 1.1 to 5.5 metres). A number of the seams are split into two benches and contain rock partings of varying thicknesses. Rank varies from low volatile bituminous to high volatile bituminous. Projected geological reserves are 2,567,919 and 972,467 tonnes in the Leach Creek North and South areas respectively (B.C. Coal Ltd., 1981 Reserve & Resource data).

The area lies on the east limb of the McEvoy syncline. The limb contains a number of minor folds which parallel the north-northwest trend of the main axis. To the west is the Barnes anticline and several north-northwest trending, west dipping thrust faults.

Work in the 1970’s was completed by Kaiser Resources Ltd. (Coal Assessment Report 342) however no work has been reported since then. In the early 1980’s a coal reserve area was placed on a corridor through the Crowsnest coalfield encompassing the Leach Creek occurrence. This corridor was established for the 500 kilovolt transmission line (5L94) connecting Cranbrook, BC to Alberta. The transmission line has been in operation since 1985.