Bibliometric and PESTEL Analysis of Deep-Sea Mining: Trends and Challenges for Sustainable Development

Abstract

The progress toward energy transition has made it essential to secure large quantities of critical metals to meet both short- and long-term demand, driving the exploration of new approaches, such as deep-sea mining (DSM). This study conducts a bibliometric analysis to examine the current scientific landscape of DSM, identifying trends, critical factors, and research gaps through a combined PESTEL and bibliographic analysis covering co-authorship, co-citation, co-occurrence, and bibliographic coupling. This comprehensive approach not only highlights emerging areas but also helps guide research efforts toward priority topics that support the advancement of DSM toward more sustainable exploitation. The results provide a general overview of recurrent themes and underexplored areas, serving as a basis for future research. While significant progress has been made in the environmental, technological, political, and legal dimensions, there remains a major gap in studies addressing the economic and social aspects of DSM, which account for less than 14% of the literature analyzed. This imbalance limits the integration of a truly sustainable framework, underscoring the need to promote interdisciplinary approaches and foster synergies among organizations and countries to build a more balanced and holistic understanding.