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Geologic History of the Beartooth Mountains

In this webinar, Melissa Gunderson will highlight the unique geology and terrain of the Beartooth Mountains, which have some of the oldest exposed rocks on Planet Earth and host some of the world’s most critical metals such as palladium, platinum, and chromium. In contrast to the old rocks, the landscape we see today has been sculpted and carved by glaciers just a mere 13,000 years ago (geologically speaking). Melissa will dig deep into the formation and uplift of the Beartooth Mountains, the multitude of glacial features we can see out in the A-B, and briefly touch on the history of mining in the area.

Melissa Gundersen is a Geologist on the Custer Gallatin National Forest in the Beartooth Ranger District. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s in Geology with a focus in structural geology, stratigraphy, and tectonics. Her education and research instilled a deep interest in understanding how the landscapes we live and recreate in form. With the USFS, she provides geologic expertise for land management projects (including cave and karst management), mineral administration for active mines, and reclamation work for abandoned mines.

Apr 26, 2023 06:00 PM in Mountain Time (US and Canada)