Changes to the Editorial Board: meeting the challenges of a changing landscape in international science

Abstract

We are happy to report that the total number of initial manuscript submissions in 2009 will be more than 120, the highest ever recorded for Mineralium Deposita in a single year. This is positive news for the journal, particularly in the light of its most recent impact factor of 2.04 also being the highest it has ever achieved.

In part, the increasing submissions reflect the growing engagement of the developing world and the erosion of historical barriers, including linguistic ones, that previously inhibited many scientists from presenting their work to international journals. These trends are good not only for the journal and for science and the global community in general but also bring some challenges, not the least of which is an increasing workload for the Editorial Board. We have therefore been working to both increase the number and diversify the international representation of the Board membership.