Journal profile · Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Precambrian Research
ISSN 0301-9268 · eISSN 1872-7433 · Elsevier · NETHERLANDS · Semimonthly · Founded 1974
Precambrian Research: CAS Zone 2 · Earth Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.68; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,600; review about 144 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: hard; 226 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Precambrian Research is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Geological and Geochemical Analysis, earthquake and tectonic studies and Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping, together about 52.7% of its articles. Its main subfields are Geophysics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Precambrian Research publishes studies on all aspects of the early stages of the composition, structure and evolution of the Earth and its planetary neighbours. With a focus on process-oriented and comparative studies, it covers, but is not restricted to, subjects such as:(1) Chemical, biological, biochemical and cosmochemical evolution; the origin of life; the evolution of the oceans and atmosphere; the early fossil record; palaeobiology; (2) Geochronology and isotope and elemental geochemistry; (3) Precambrian mineral deposits; (4) Geophysical aspects of the early Earth and Precambrian terrains; (5) Nature, formation and evolution of the Precambrian lithosphere and mantle including magmatic, depositional, metamorphic and tectonic processes.In addition, the editors particularly welcome integrated process-oriented studies that involve a combination of the above fields and comparative studies that demonstrate the effect of Precambrian evolution on Phanerozoic earth system processes.Regional and localised studies of Precambrian phenomena are considered appropriate only when the detail and quality allow illustration of a wider process, or when significant gaps in basic knowledge of a particular area can be filled.Fairness and impartiality. The professional journal of Precambrian Research expects all communications by authors, editors, and reviewers to be of a high professional standard. All communications (including manuscripts and reviews) will be written and assessed based on objective criteria, without bias, prejudice, or preferential treatment. Race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, gender identity, and sexual orientation are irrelevant to the review of scientific data and scientific publishing. Scientific criticism must be expressed in a constructive and collegial manor - unprofessional language (insults, degrading terminology, etc.) is unacceptable and cannot be used.This journal welcomes contributions that support and advance the UN's sustainable development goals .
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Editor-in-chief Victoria PeasePublisher website
Editorial board by country: 17 in mainland China (about 34%); most named Mainland China 17, Brazil 7, South Africa 5, Hong Kong, China 2, United States 2 (50 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Geological and Geochemical AnalysisEarth and Planetary Sciences27.1%
- earthquake and tectonic studiesEarth and Planetary Sciences13.8%
- Geochemistry and Geologic MappingComputer Science11.8%
- High-pressure geophysics and materialsEarth and Planetary Sciences11.3%
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsEarth and Planetary Sciences7.9%
- Geochemistry and Elemental AnalysisEarth and Planetary Sciences5.4%
- Geology and Paleoclimatology ResearchEarth and Planetary Sciences4.6%
- Geological and Geophysical StudiesEarth and Planetary Sciences2.4%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Earth Sciences Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Earth Sciences Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Earth Sciences | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Geosciences, Multidisciplinary | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.68LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 2.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 6.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.26LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.13LetPub ·
- h-index
- 143LetPub ·
- h-index
- 236OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 5,727OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.9OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 22.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 24.62%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 200LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 8,319 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 184 | 70 | 51 |
| 2025 | 226 | 66 | 503 |
| 2024 | 284 | 118 | 1,457 |
| 2023 | 229 | 67 | 1,852 |
| 2022 | 310 | 65 | 3,861 |
| 2021 | 368 | 83 | 6,028 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
144 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports 3–8 weeks
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- 3–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- HardLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 62 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 144 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,600 / EUR 3,370 / GBP 2,880 / JPY 446,510 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,570 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers4, by deadline
- Holistic perspective on early Paleoproterozoic Earth’s evolution: from deep mantle to surface - Precambrian ResearchDeadline
- Tectonic evolution and environmental response at the Archean–Proterozoic transitionDeadline
- Deep Control on the Formation and Evolution of ContinentDeadline
- Evolution of the Earth System through the Nuna–Rodinia Supercontinent CycleDeadline
What to prepare5 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 10,000 words
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Highlights
- Required
Article types accepted7, with length limits
- letterPrecambrian Research publishes original research papers, review articles, short communications, letters, and discussion papers. All manuscripts should be as con…main text ≤ 2,000 words
- original researchPrecambrian Research publishes original research papers, review articles, short communications, letters, and discussion papers. All manuscripts should be as con…Length not stated
- original research paperPrecambrian Research publishes original research papers, review articles, short communications, letters, and discussion papers. All manuscripts should be as con…Length not stated
- research paperPrecambrian Research publishes original research papers, review articles, short communications, letters, and discussion papers. All manuscripts should be as con…Length not stated
- research papersResearch Papers. These should fall within the Aims and Scope of the journal and provide scientific content of an original nature. Typical article length is 5000…Length not stated
- review articlePrecambrian Research publishes original research papers, review articles, short communications, letters, and discussion papers. All manuscripts should be as con…Length not stated
- short communicationPrecambrian Research publishes original research papers, review articles, short communications, letters, and discussion papers. All manuscripts should be as con…main text ≤ 5,000 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. Model summary
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Authors must follow Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy. Model summary
Authors must follow ethical guidelines stated in Elsevier's Publishing Ethics Policy.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process; submissions initially assessed by editors; if suitable, sent to a minimum of two reviewers; decision made by editors. Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy; does not count as prior publication. Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Country or region
- NETHERLANDS
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Semimonthly
- Founded
- 1974
- ISSN
- 0301-9268
- Electronic ISSN
- 1872-7433
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Precambrian Research
What CAS zone is Precambrian Research in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Precambrian Research is in Zone 2 of Earth Sciences, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Geosciences, Multidisciplinary. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Earth Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Precambrian Research?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.68; CiteScore 6.3, h-index 236.
How long does peer review take at Precambrian Research?
The publisher reports about 144 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 3–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Hard”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Precambrian Research?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 10,000 words; Reference style: Author–date; Highlights: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Precambrian Research based?
Of the 50 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 17 (about 34%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (17), Brazil (7) and South Africa (5). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Precambrian Research?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Precambrian Research is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Precambrian Research open access, and what is the APC?
Precambrian Research is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,600.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .