The first of two coal bearing zones is located 61 metres to 91 metres below the uppermost conglomerates of the Cretaceous Nanaimo Group. The zone outcrops west of Coal Harbour and consists of 0.6 metres of coal. In adjacent areas the seam is split into three parts, with two lower approximately 15 centimetre coal bands and an upper 2.5 centimetres of coal separated by thick bands of mudstones. One hundred twenty-two metres to 152 metres lower, is the second coal bearing zone which contains approximately 1.1 metres of coal of "inferior" quality. A few tons of coal have been extracted from this seam approximately 2 kilometres west of the Nuknimish River mouth. The seam where observed west of Coal Harbour is of good quality and 0.6 metre to 0.9 metre in thickness. The coal is interbedded with sandstone, shale and conglomerate.

The strata generally dips approximately 10 degrees to 30 degrees south however a slight synclinal feature trending east is located across the northern part of Coal Harbour. A major fault occurs at the east entrance of the harbour and beds adjacent to the fault are disturbed and dip steeply north.

At Wogsta Creek 50 tons of coal were removed from a seam 1.5 metres thick. The coal contains 49.2 per cent fixed carbon, 23.6 per cent volatile matter, 2.70 per cent water, and 24.6 per cent ash. Drilling in the area revealed a seam at 8.5 metres which is 1.5 metres thick and thins laterally to approximately 0.9 metres.

This area includes the coal seam at Pearsons' upper camp and Nuknimish, both west of Coal Harbour.