The distribution of coal-bearing units in northeast British Columbia is controlled by structures of the Rocky Mountain Foreland Fold and Thrust Belt. Along the western flank of the Foothills, in the hanging walls of the Merrick and Whatley faults, coal is absent. Structurally beneath and east of these faults, in the central and eastern parts of the Foothills, folded and thrusted shallow-marine units of the Minnes Group and Gething, Gates, and Boulder Creek formations host coal. All coal mines worked to date are in this central zone. Exposed or at shallow structural levels, coal-bearing beds can be mined by surface and underground methods. On the Plains east of the Foothills, flat-lying rocks of the Minnes Group and Gething, Gates and Boulder Creek are at depths that preclude surface mining, but underground mining may be feasible. However, the Wapiti Formation is exposed and could be mined by surface or underground methods.

The northeastern British Columbia deposits are in the Foothills and Plains coalfi elds, together known as the Peace River coalfields. The Foothills coalfield extends for 400 km along the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains. The coals are distributed through a stratigraphic interval of more than 3000 m, and are hosted by fi ve Lower Cretaceous units, the most important of which are the Gates Formation (Fort St. John Group) and the Gething Formation (Bullhead Group). Coal in the Gething and Gates formations are bituminous in rank, ranging from high to low volatile. Metallurgical (coking and PCI) coals are predominant, and total sulphur contents are typically low.

Peace River metallurgical coal mine - open cut operation, using truck and shovel.