The BBC's Sue Nelson: "Now the fuel is being used for more down to earth projects"

The propellant is packed into a small tube measuring about two centimetres by 12 cm and placed next to an uncovered mine. It is then ignited remotely with battery-triggered electric match.

This burns a hole in the mine's case, ignites its explosive contents which burn away.

The flare has been developed by Thiokol Propulsion, the contractor that builds the rocket motors for Nasa's space shuttles.

Leftover fuel materials would normally go to waste

Dr Carol Campbell, the company's humanitarian de-mining programme manager, says the device is clearly safer than hand deactivation and preferable to other methods that neutralise the mine with a destructive explosion.

"Surprisingly enough, the explosives in the mine tend only to burn out instead of detonate," she told the BBC.

Occasionally, the mine does detonate before all of the explosive is consumed. But even if this happens, says Dr Campbell, the explosion is more controlled and minimised, causing less damage than other mine disposal methods.

Dr Carol Campbell explains how the flare works

The US Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division has tested the device against a range of anti-personnel and anti-tank landmines, and a number of flares have now been despatched to Kosovo and to Jordan for further trials.

It is estimated that more than 80 million active landmines are scattered in 70 countries worldwide. Every month, more than 2,000 people are killed or maimed by these mine explosives. Most of the victims are civilians who are injured or killed after military hostilities have ended.

One of the major problems associated with the many, innovative mine clearance systems developed in recent years has been that of cost. Dr Campbell says the use of what is essentially a waste material means the Thiokol flare should become a cost-effective, practical tool to clear-up former war zones.