Peer Review Policy
1. Introduction
Geominas on-line is an open access scientific journal that publishes original and unpublished articles in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, on all aspects of earth sciences, including geology, mineralogy, geochemistry, geophysics, geoengineering, and environmental sciences. The journal is published electronically and is freely available online to anyone who wants to read, download, copy, distribute, print, or use for any legal purpose, without any financial, legal, or technical barriers.
2. Objective
This policy aims to establish the general guidelines that will govern the peer review process of articles submitted to the journal Geominas on-line. The main objective of peer review is to ensure the quality, originality, and relevance of the articles published in the journal, contributing to maintaining the integrity and reliability of the scientific information that is disseminated.
3. Peer Review Process
3.1 Initial Evaluation by the Editorial Board
All articles submitted to the journal Geominas on-line will be initially reviewed by the Editorial Board. The Editorial Board will evaluate the relevance of the article's topic to the scope of the journal, the quality of the writing, and the adequacy of the format to the journal's editorial standards. If the Editorial Board considers that the article meets the minimum quality criteria, it will send it to three external reviewers for their review.
3.2 Review by External Reviewers
The external reviewers will be experts in the field of study corresponding to the article and will be selected by the Editorial Board based on their experience and reputation. The reviewers will evaluate the article anonymously and provide the Editorial Board with a detailed evaluation that will include:
Originality and importance of the topic
Methodological correctness
Clarity and accuracy of writing
Relevance of results and conclusions
Contribution of the article to scientific knowledge
3.3 Editorial Decision
The Editorial Board will make a decision on the publication of the article based on the evaluations of the external reviewers. If the article receives the approval of at least two of the three reviewers, the Editorial Board will notify the author or authors that their article will be published and will inform them of the estimated publication date. If the article does not receive the approval of at least two of the three reviewers, the Editorial Board will notify the author or authors of the decision not to publish the article and will provide a detailed explanation of the reasons for the decision.
4. Confidentiality
The peer review process will be carried out confidentially. The authors will not know the identity of the reviewers, nor will the reviewers know the identity of the authors. The Editorial Board will be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all information related to the peer review process.
5. Appeals
Authors who disagree with the Editorial Board's decision not to publish their article may appeal in writing. The appeal must be sent to the Editorial Board within 30 days of receiving notification of the decision. The Editorial Board will review the appeal and make a final decision on the publication of the article.
6. Referee Selection Criteria
External referees will be selected based on the following criteria:
Experience and reputation in the field of study corresponding to the article
Knowledge of the editorial standards of the journal Geominas on-line
Availability to carry out the review within the established timeframe
7. Responsibilities of Reviewers
External reviewers will have the following responsibilities:
Review the article anonymously and provide the Editorial Board with a detailed evaluation that includes the aspects mentioned in paragraph 3.2.
Maintain the confidentiality of all information related to the peer review process.
Notify the Editorial Board of any conflict of interest they may have with the author or authors of the article.
8. Acknowledgments
The Editorial Board of the journal Geominas on-line thanks the external reviewers for their collaboration in the peer review process. Their contribution is essential to ensure the quality and integrity of the scientific information that is published in the journal.
9. Contact
For any questions or comments about the peer review policy of the journal Geominas on-line, please contact us.