mijnen

Mijnen is the Dutch term that covers both mines as explosive devices used in warfare and mines as sites where minerals are extracted, or the activity of extracting them. In everyday usage, the context distinguishes between military mines and mining operations.

In a military context, mines include landmines placed on or just under the ground and naval mines anchored or afloat. They are designed to detonate in response to pressure, proximity, or contact, causing damage to personnel, vehicles, or ships and complicating terrain control and movement. The development and deployment of landmines have a long history, from siege warfare to modern conflict zones. International law regulates their use and aims to reduce civilian harm; the Ottawa Treaty of 1997 seeks to ban anti-personnel landmines, though not all countries are parties. Humanitarian demining and mine action programs work to locate, map, remove, and responsibly dispose of minefields and unexploded ordnance, using a combination of manuals, detection dogs, metal detectors, mechanical clearance, and sometimes robotic devices.

Mining, as a different sense of mijn, refers to extraction of minerals such as coal, ore, or precious metals. Mijnen in this sense are mining sites or operations, including open-pit, underground, and solution mining. They involve geological surveying, excavation, ore processing, and tailings management. Hazards include structural collapses, gas or dust explosions, and groundwater issues, as well as environmental impacts from habitat disruption and pollution. Modern mining emphasizes safety protocols, rehabilitation plans, and regulatory compliance to balance resource development with environmental and community considerations.