Ploughs can be useful in humanitarian demining to provide quick access through mined areas to minimise civilian casualties and allow quick access to critical resources such as food and water. An armoured bulldozer with a blade can provide similar capability. The full-width mine plough is moved by a tank or armoured bulldozer. It is V shaped and clears ground to a depth of 30 centimetres, pushing earth and mines to the side. It requires great horsepower to push the plough at the required depth.
Armoured bulldozers are usually commercial types with extra protection for the operator.
The bulldozer blade pushes earth and mines to one side by angling the blade. Both bulldozers and ploughs suffer the disadvantages that the mines will usually still be armed after they have been 'ploughed', and the massive engines required to push them require maintenance facilities, spares, and trained mechanics that may not be available. The rake plough was specifically designed for the desert environment. It uses tines which allow sand to pass through, but not mines. It is unsuitable in other terrain.