Mobile metal detection: a field perspective

Mechem is a military research company that does basic development work for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) with the accent on Land Forces. During the war years from 1970 to 1989 they had projects dealing with land mine detection and designing vehicles that have protection against anti-tank mine blasts. Combining this work they constructed a metal detector built by another section of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) into one of their vehicle designs called Gees (translation: Ghost) and later on into their Spinnekop (Spider) project. The next chapter in the use of metal detectors by Mechem was when after the war they started mine clearance contracting in 1991. They then combined mechanical mine clearance with manual clearance by men using metal detectors. Based on this experience, the author concludes that adopting a field perspective is therefore practical if one uses metal detection and backup techniques like explosive vapour detection.