A review of mineral resource security research based on bibliometric analysis

Abstract

[Objective] Mineral resources are the foundation of national economic development and the important guarantee of national security, and their security problems have become increasingly prominent. It is of great significance to systematize the research on mineral resource security. [Methods] This study took the publications on mineral resource security published by Chinese scholars from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI), and Web of Science databases as samples. By using bibliometric analysis, content analysis, and literature induction methods and visualized knowledge network analysis tools such as CiteSpace, the current situation, evolution, and hotspots of mineral resource security research are discussed. [Results] The results show that the research contents in the mineral resource security field are diversified and cover a broad range of themes. The development showed an inverted U-shaped trend and has experienced three stagesthe initial period, the rapid growth period, and the transitional development period. The research hotspots include exploration and utilization of mineral resources, security of mineral resource industrial chain and supply chain, mineral resource strategy, and international research on mineral resource security. [Conclusion] The sustainable supply of mineral resources throughout the industrial chain, risk assessment, construction of strategic development pattern, efficient recycling, among other aspects may become the research hotspots and challenges in the field of mineral resource security in the future. Meanwhile, the research on the exploration, development, and utilization of mineral resources, mineral resource security strategy, coordination mechanism between mineral resource benefits and environment protection should be strengthened, in order to provide a theoretical basis for further improving the mineral resource security system.

Keywords

• |mineral resource security|research hotspots|bibliometric analysis method|visualized knowledge network|china