Bibliometric mapping of research in the mining field andits relationship with the sustainable development goals
V. Lozynskyi1, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9657-0635
P. Saik1, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7758-1083
M. Lozynska1, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3131-1277
D. Klimov1 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3817-9697
1Dnipro University of Technology, Dnipro, Ukraine
Coll.res.pap.nat.min.univ. 2026, 84:118–133
Full text (PDF)
https://doi.org/10.33271/crpnmu/84.118
ABSTRACT
Purpose. To identify the conceptual structure of research in the mining field, determine its main thematic domains and subdomains, and establish their relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals on the basis of bibliometric analysis.
Methods. Bibliometric analysis was used to investigate the publication dynamics, subject structure, geographical distribution, and thematic organization of publications in the mining field. The information base was formed using Scopus data and the TITLE-ABS-KEY query for the period 2000–2025. To reveal the field's conceptual structure, index keyword co-occurrence analysis was applied in VOSviewer, with a minimum co-occurrence threshold of 10 documents. Semantically similar terms and keywords with different spelling variants were unified. The resulting network relationships were used to identify thematic clusters, generalize them into macrodomains and subdomains, and further compare them with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Findings. The keyword co-occurrence analysis showed that the studied scientific field has a clearly defined multicomponent, interdisciplinary structure. Within it, three macrodomains were identified: the engineering core of mining, energy and digital transformation, and mineral processing and sustainable development. Within these macrodomains, ten subdomains were distinguished. The obtained results demonstrated that contemporary research in the mining field extends beyond traditional engineering issues and forms a broader scientific space that integrates technological, energy-related, environmental, digital, and managerial directions. The strongest relationship was also established between the field under study and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The originality. An integrated approach to interpreting research in the mining field is proposed, combining analysis of publication dynamics, keyword co-occurrence mapping, structuring into macrodomains and subdomains, and interpreting the results through the lens of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Practical implementations. The results obtained can be used to define scientific priorities, plan interdisciplinary research, position mining science within the context of contemporary sustainable development challenges, and substantiate development strategies for research and educational institutions.
Keywords: mining field, bibliometric analysis, VOSviewer, Sustainable Development Goals, sustainable development, science mapping.
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date of first submission of the article to the publication – 01/10/2026
date of acceptance of the article for publication after review – 02/20/2026
date of publication – 03/30/2026