Five thin coal seams, and a number of coaly horizons less than 45 centimetres thick were intersected in a drill hole in this area. The coal is interbedded with sandstone and shale and occurs predominantly in the upper part of the Upper Cretaceous Nanaimo Group in either the Extension or Pender formations. In a number of samples taken from the drill core the associated rock partings/chips consist of sandstone and grey shale.

The structure in the south of the area consists of a north- west trending, northeast dipping series of strata with the facies from southwest to northeast grading from nearshore marine, fluvial deltaic to nearshore marine. The area is divided by a southwest trending fault, northwest of which there are a series of northwest trending anticlines and synclines.