The UN has calculated that for every 5,000 mines lifted one deminer is killed and two are seriously injured.
When extensive minefields are to be cleared, this human toll is meaningful in both humanitarian and political terms, more so if locally recruited personnel are used for the manual demining task.
Depending on conditions, a single manual deminer will clear between 5 and 20m2 per hour. An ORACLE will clear between 3,000 (deep swathe) and 15,000m2 (shallow swathe) per hour. This enables costs to be contained and returns the land to agricultural use much sooner. Utilising the ORACLE brings further benefits: the demining tool acts as a giant 'rotovator' and the land cleared is thoroughly prepared for immediate planting. In the process it also disposes of the undergrowth that so often covers minefields. This is a considerable impediment to manual demining as it must first be removed before manual techniques can be applied.
Print page 
Page Top