Manual Mine Clearance

All mine clearance tasks require manual mine clearance personnel and depending on the type of mine threat and terrain they can be supported by using machines or mine detection dogs. Manual mine clearance is the systematic clearance of a specified area ensuring the removal and/or destruction of all mine and UXO hazards to a specified depth. Manual mine clearance is carried out using a combination of tools and methods; 

·         visual detection

·         trip wire detection

·         metal detection

·         probing

·         exavation

When a mine or UXO is detected it is marked by the deminer and destroyed in situation or neutralized then removed for destruction by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team.

By the end of 2003 the programme will reduce from 10 manual teams to 7 with 5 site supervisors to run operational sites. Each team will consist of: 

1 x Team leader

8 x qualified deminers 

A fully equipped medical team supports clearance teams on each individual task site. At present these teams are supported by the Mine-Lifta mechanical clearance machine, this machine is only on loan to NPA for a trail period and will be returned to the manufacture early 2004.

At present the standard MD 8 mine detectors used by the manual deminers are old and need replacing, the programme should look at purchasing 50 new Italian Ciea Mine detectors before starting operations in 2004. The Ciea mine detector was tested by UNOPS in Afghanistan and proved to be superior to other detectors on the market. The Ciea has also been tested in Croatia by NPA with four other current detectors and again proved to be favoured.