Journal profile · ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Resources Policy
ISSN 0301-4207 · eISSN 1873-7641 · Elsevier
Resources Policy: impact factor 7.88; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,810; review about 179 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 285 articles in 2025; indexed in Scopus; flagged on an early-warning list or for an indexing change: check before submitting.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Resources Policy is published by Elsevier. By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Energy, Environment, Economic Growth, Mining and Resource Management and Natural Resources and Economic Development, together about 40.1% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The International Journal of Minerals Policy and EconomicsResources Policy is an international journal devoted to the economics and policy issues related to mineral and fossil fuel extraction, production and use. The journal content is aimed at individuals in academia, government, and industry. Submissions of original research are invited that analyze issues of public policy, economics, social science, geography and finance in the areas of mining, non-fuel minerals, energy minerals, fossil fuels and metals.Examples of topics covered in the broad discipline of mineral economics include mineral market and price analysis, project evaluation, mining and sustainable development, mineral resource rents and the resource curse, mineral wealth and corruption, mineral taxation and regulation, strategic minerals and their supply, and the impact of mineral development on local communities and/or indigenous populations.Submissions are also invited on related natural resource topics of interest and importance to the minerals and fossil fuel community, such as sustainability, topics from environmental economics related to mineral production and use, and socio-economic impacts of mineral production and use.The journal DOES NOT publish papers whose primary focus is on agriculture, forestry or fisheries.We aim to publish robust scientific work, so methods should be carefully described and data properly cited. Literature reviews are accepted as long as they provide meaningful insights and a clear contribution to the literature. Case studies are also accepted as long as they contribute to the debate and comprehension of issues of broader significance. Discussion and debate-focused articles without a significant research component are generally not accepted, but they could be considered at the discretion of the Editors.Original research articles (generally 6,000–10,000 words, including references) published in Resources Policy are expected to make a clear and original scholarly contribution to debates in mineral economics, natural resource governance, and resource-related public policy. Such articles should be structured around a clearly articulated research question or analytical puzzle and demonstrate methodological transparency and rigour, whether drawing on qualitative interviews, document and policy analysis, case studies, or quantitative data. Contributions may advance or refine conceptual or theoretical frameworks, introduce new empirical insights, or offer systematic comparative analysis, but they should move beyond descriptive accounts to provide analytically grounded and policy-relevant findings.Perspectives (generally 4,000–6,000 words, including references) offer shorter, more interpretive contributions that engage directly with contemporary issues shaping resource policy and mineral governance. These papers are intended to be agenda-setting rather than exhaustive, and may critically examine emerging concepts, dominant narratives, policy shifts, geopolitical developments, or market disruptions relevant to the resources sector. While Perspectives are afforded greater flexibility in scope, method, and tone than full research articles, arguments should remain analytically grounded, clearly structured, and situated within relevant literatures, with the aim of stimulating informed debate among scholars, policymakers, and practitioners.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Editorial board by country: 4 in mainland China (about 7%); most named Australia 14, United States 11, United Kingdom 9, Mainland China 4, Canada 3 (54 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Energy, Environment, Economic GrowthEconomics, Econometrics and Finance16.7%
- Mining and Resource ManagementEngineering12.6%
- Natural Resources and Economic DevelopmentEconomics, Econometrics and Finance10.8%
- Market Dynamics and VolatilityEconomics, Econometrics and Finance10.6%
- Energy, Environment, and Transportation PoliciesEnergy6.1%
- Extraction and Separation ProcessesEngineering5.7%
- Mining Techniques and EconomicsEngineering3.9%
- Environmental Impact and SustainabilityEnvironmental Science3.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Economics Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Economics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Environmental Studies | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
ScopusLetPub
Early warning / risk: Removed from SSCI for editorial reasons on 18 November 2024. CAS Early Warning Journal List: not listed in any of 6 editions.LetPub
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
- 7.88LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 20.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 20.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 2.05LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.54LetPub ·
- h-index
- 184OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 4,105OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 10.49OpenAlex ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 7.03%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 1,167LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 6,668 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 169 | 93 | 89 |
| 2025 | 285 | 121 | 1,344 |
| 2024 | 768 | 144 | 11,388 |
| 2023 | 1,211 | 209 | 37,105 |
| 2022 | 664 | 134 | 30,178 |
| 2021 | 507 | 122 | 27,240 |
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
179 dayssubmission to acceptance
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
- Submission to first decision
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 84 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 179 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 9 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double 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 3,810 / EUR 3,560 / GBP 3,050 / JPY 472,550 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,990 | — | — |
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)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 10,000 words
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Not considered
- agriculture; forestry; fisheries
Article types accepted6, with length limits
- case studiesCase studies are also accepted as long as they contribute to the debate and comprehension of issues of broader significance.Length not stated
- literature reviewsLiterature reviews are accepted as long as they provide meaningful insights and a clear contribution to the literature.Length not stated
- original research articledered at the discretion of the Editors. Original research articles (generally 6,000–10,000 words, including references) published in Resources Policy are exmain text ≤ 10,000 words
- original research articlesOriginal research articles (generally 6,000–10,000 words, including references) published in Resources Policy are expected to make a clear and original scholarl…Length not stated
- perspectivegrounded and policy-relevant findings. Perspectives (generally 4,000–6,000 words, including references) offer shorter, more interpretive conmain text ≤ 6,000 words
- perspectivesPerspectives (generally 4,000–6,000 words, including references) offer shorter, more interpretive contributions that engage directly with contemporary issues sh…Length not stated
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 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
Publishing ethics 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
Double anonymized peer review Model summary
This journal follows a double 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
Free preprint posting service on SSRN 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. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
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
- ISSN
- 0301-4207
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-7641
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Resources Policy
What is the impact factor of Resources Policy?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 7.88; CiteScore 20.3, h-index 184.
How long does peer review take at Resources Policy?
The publisher reports about 179 days (submission to acceptance). 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 Resources Policy?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 10,000 words; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional. 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 Resources Policy based?
Of the 54 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 4 (about 7%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Australia (14), United States (11) and United Kingdom (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Resources Policy?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Resources Policy is indexed in Scopus.
Is Resources Policy open access, and what is the APC?
Resources Policy is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,810.
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: .