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Landmine and UXO (unexploded ordnance) clearance requires a wide variety of specialized equipment, the most widely known of which are metal detectors. Metal detectors function by creating a magnetic field, and when a metallic object is nearby, it interacts with said field, and can both emits a changing pitch or gives a visual indication to inform the operator of the presence of metal.
Modern landmines are often manufactured using only a small quantity of metal – their casings may be made entirely of plastic, with only the firing mechanism containing any detectable quantity of metal – as a result, the mine detectors used in landmine clearance are extremely sensitive and sophisticated. Another reason metal detectors are so useful is their portability.
Yemen has a great deal of rocky, difficult to navigate terrain, which means that portability and ease of use are important considerations with regard to the type of explosive detection device employed.
Another type of explosive detection device is one referred to as a magnetic locator. While in principle similar to metal detectors, they are used for a different purpose. Magnetic locators are used to confirm the presence of larger quantities of metal, such as those found in antitank mines and larger unexploded ordnance.
Yet another explosive detection device, or rather, an explosive detection technology, is one referred to as GPR (ground penetrating radar). Ground penetrating radar utilizes high-frequency radio waves in order to detect objects buried in the ground.
One thing that is important to note is that all this technology is non-destructive, and serves to make the difficult task of Yemeni landmine clearance safer.