Straight downward pressure does not have the shearing component needed to trigger the mine, this gives the mine blast resistance, since blast overpressure bears down evenly on the top surface of the mine. The mine has a relatively low explosive content, so will maim rather than kill. Its blast resistance combined with the lack of metal in the mine make it extremely difficult to clear. PMA-3 mines can be found in minefields located in Albania, Bosnia, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, Croatia, Kosovo, Lebanon, Namibia and Peru