The Ranch limestone and marble occurrence is located in the northern head waters of Steele Creek, approximately 750 metres southeast of the south end of Bonanza Lake.

The area is underlain by white crystalline limestone of the Triassic Quatsino Formation (Vancouver Group). The limestone has been intruded by plutonic intrusive rocks, which appear to have recrystallized and bleached the limestone to white calcite marble. Skarn has formed along the contact between the limestone and granitic intrusive to the south.

Locally, a generally pure, crystalline calcite marble, white, off-white and light grey in color, is exposed in outcrop and road cuts. The rock contains small amounts of stylolites and iron oxide stain. The hanging wall of the zone is intrusive rock, which appears to dip steeply to vertical, and cuts off the limestone deposit to the south. The limestone in the deposit is shallow dipping, and the footwall with Karmutsen volcanics appears to be a low angle fault.

The marble outcrop has been mapped for a distance of 1,000 metres, with widths of 0 to 250 metres and a vertical range of 100 metres.

In 1994, sampling and visual observations suggested moderate to high brightness and high purity. Fine grind and beneficiation by flotation appeared to produce a high brightness and high purity product. (Assessment Report 23489). In 1999, a dry grind analysis indicated the rock to be of high purity, with acid insols generally less than 0.5 per cent and a magnesium carbonate content off less than 3 per cent. A possible potential reserve of 7,257,500 tonnes was proposed (Assessment Report 25903).

During 1989 through 1994, Industrial Fillers Limited completed programs of geological mapping on the area as the Quatsino 1 and Ranch claims. In 1998 and 1999, Omya St. Armand Limited completed a program of geochemical sampling.