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Established in 1919, the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) continues to fulfill its mandate to collect and publish information on Montana's geology to promote orderly and responsible development of the energy, groundwater, and mineral resources of the State. A non-regulatory state agency, the MBMG provides extensive advisory, technical, and informational services on the State's geologic, mineral, energy, and water resources. The MBMG is increasingly involved in studies of the environmental impacts to land and water caused either by past practices in hard-rock mining or by current activities in agriculture and industry.

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Montana Standard
MBMG Seismic Station

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology’s Regional Seismograph Network (MRSN) recorded a magnitude 5.8 earthquake at 12:30:16.9 a.m. on July 6th. The quake occurred 12.9 km (8.0 miles) east-southeast of Lincoln, Montana, just north of the Stemple Pass Road. The earthquake hypocenter was 15.4 km (9.6 miles) below the earth’s surface. More than 3,900 residents reported feeling the earthquake in the region between Spokane, WA eastward to Lewistown, MT and from southern Alberta, Canada southward to southeast ID.

As of 8:00 a.m., the MRSN has triggered on approximately 160 aftershocks, the largest measured 4.9 at 12:35 a.m. and a magnitude 4.5 aftershock occurred at 1:02 a.m. Fifteen aftershocks have magnitudes ranging between 3.0 and 4.0. Hundreds of smaller aftershocks have occurred. More small aftershocks will occur with the possibility of aftershocks large enough for residents to feel.

 Limekiln Ridge recording of earthquakes on 7-6-17
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