- Minimum metal mine
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A minimum metal mine is a land mine that is designed to use the minimum amount of metal in its construction [1]. Both minimum metal anti-tank and anti-personnel mines exist. Some designs contain almost no metal at all. Typically this is achieved by using a plastic, wooden or glass body holding the explosive charge, with a few small metallic components limited to those which are not easily replicable in other materials, such as the spring, striker tip, and shear wire. Minimum metal mines are difficult to detect using conventional metal mine detectors, but may be vulnerable to detection using more modern techniques.[clarification needed]
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Examples
Early examples included the German Glasmine 43, Schu-mine 42 and Topfmine used during World War II. These designs were either difficult or impossible to find using 1940s metal detectors.
Many different types of minimum metal mines have been produced in various countries over the years. Relatively modern examples include the antitank mines M19 (USA, less than 3g of metal) and TMA-3 (Serbia, no metal) and the anti-personnel mines PRB M-409 (Belgium, less than 1g) and the PMA-2 or PMA-3 Serbia, (approx 1g non-magnetic) and VS-50 (Italy). Since the 1970s and until 1993 (when the country enacted a national landmines manufacturing ban, four years before signing the Ottawa Treaty) Italy became a world leader in the manufacture of minimum metal mines; the three main Italian landmine manufacturers were mostly producing minimum-metal by the early 1980s. Valsella Meccanotecnica SpA manufactured the VS-50 and VS-Mk2. Misar SpA produced the SB-81 and SB-33, and Tecnovar Italiana SpA produced the TS-50), and the TC/3.6 and TC/6 mines).
Non-metallic mines
Though rare, a few land mine designs contain no metal whatsoever. Typically, such designs employ a glass vial containing a mixture of friction-sensitive pyrotechnic composition and glass powder. Downward pressure concentrated on the vial crushes and fractures it, causing a flash of flame which triggers the detonator and initiates the main explosive charge. By definition, such mines cannot be found using metal detectors because there is no metal to detect.
References
See also
- Anti-handling device
- Blast resistant mine
- List of landmines (provides extensive details of various designs)
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