Patent activity in the mining industry decreased by 12% in Q3 2022 

The global mining industry experienced an 18% decline in patent filings in Q3 2022 compared with the previous quarter. The total number of grants dropped by 15%, resulting in overall patent publications rising by 18%, according to GlobalData’s Patent Analytics. Notably, the number of patent applications in the mining industry was 3,003 in Q3 2022, versus 3,680 in the prior quarter. 

Most patenting activity has been in the drilling and blasting sector, where the number of patents filed Q2 2022 was 141, a rise of 26% versus the previous quarter. The second-largest patent count was in excavation and loading (167, down 13%) and then underground equipment in third (695, down 5%). 

Analysis of patenting activity by companies shows that the largest number of patents filed over the last quarter was by JFE Holdings with 226, followed by the China Baowu Steel Group with 190 and POSCO Holdings with 160. 

The largest share of patent filings in the mining industry in Q3 2022 was in China with 55%, followed by Japan (10%) and the US (9%).