Scientometrics of Rare Earths Research in India

The study attempts to analyse the growth and development of rare earths research in India based on the publication output as reflected in Web of Science (WoS) during 1987-2013. A total of 1,88,877 papers are seen as global research output on rare earths. India secures 7th position with 9457 papers. Indian rare earths papers are analysed bibliometrically to indicate the authorship, collaboration pattern, to identify the major institutions and most relevant journals; apart from identifying the research field or application area of research in rare earths. Recently developed three-dimensional performance indicators are used to rank the productivity of Indian institutions and authors in the field of rare earths research. These studies can help researchers to comprehend the magnitude of rare earths research in India and establish future research directions. The study found that papers having international collaborations are cited more often.