Analysis of Knowledge Spillover Effects Using Data Envelopment Analysis on Papers and Patents Related to Mine Reclamation Technology

The environmental and social issues related to abandoned mines are prevalent worldwide. Each country has developed various chemical, physical, and biological mine reclamation technologies to address these challenges, and the results have primarily been published in papers or patents. Therefore, analyzing relevant papers and patents to understand the trends in the mine reclamation industry is essential. This study conducts a quantitative analysis of papers and patents related to mine reclamation technologies to identify the latest technological trends, address limitations, and propose future R&D development directions. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), this study evaluates the efficiency of diffusing papers and patents produced by national R&D investments in related industries, academia, research institutions, and government agencies. The input variables included the number of papers and patents, whereas the output variables comprised the number of citations for papers and patents and the number of triadic patent families. Using a comparative analysis of efficiency across countries, this study derives insights into the knowledge dissemination effects of research outcomes at the national level. To enhance knowledge dissemination and its impact in each country, research centered on solving current issues, improving data reliability, promoting multidisciplinary studies, and strengthening international cooperation is necessary. This study is significant as it provides future research directions for mine reclamation technologies and facilitates the application and commercialization of the developed technologies.