The Boucher Creek coal occurrences are located on the west side of the Bait Range (Skeena Mountains), 84 kilometres east-northeast of the community of Hazelton.
The coal is hosted in the Upper Jurassic Trout Creek Formation (Bowser Lake Group). The strata are folded into an open, southeast plunging syncline. The Trout Creek Formation (Coal Assessment Report 721) consists of a lower shoreline marine unit, approximately 70 metres thick, overlain by a carbonaceous shale unit approximately 30 metres thick, a coquinal siltstone unit, approximately 5 metres thick, and a sandstone-conglomerate unit, approximately 100 metres thick.
The coal at the Boucher Creek Central showing occurs in the upper two units. Two samples representing in excess of one metre of oxidized coal contained 3.74 and 2.86 per cent moisture, 61.16 and 51.07 per cent ash, 14.51 and 19.39 per cent volatile matter, 20.59 and 26.68 per cent fixed carbon, and 0.30 and 0.23 per cent sulphur, respectively (Samples BC 1 and 2, Coal Assessment Report 721).
No previous work had been reported on the Boucher Creek coal occurrences prior to 1984. Initial work in the area was stimulated by a high lead-zinc-arsenic silt geochemical sample in Boucher Creek, reported in the National Geochemical Reconnaissance program for the Hazelton map area (NTS 93M; Geological Survey of Canada Open File 1000). Follow-up on this sample site revealed the presence of common float of coal in a south-flowing side creek into Boucher Creek (chunks to 15 centimetres) and a small exposure of a one-metre seam in Boucher Creek. Subsequent follow-up revealed the presence of a prominent carbonaceous layer to the north. Analysis of the coal float showed the samples to be of anthracite and meta-anthracite rank. As the geological setting of these occurrences appeared similar to the Sustut coal measures presently (ca. 1984) being investigated by Suncor Inc., a decision to apply for a license was taken by Atna Resources Ltd.
In 1985, Atna Resources conducted geological mapping, blast pits/trenching and sampling (Coal Assessment Report 721).
