Locals in the Ijen volcano, Indonesia, mine sulphur despite the clouds of poisonous gas that are emitted from the crater.

Every day 100 miners navigate their way up the volcano in order to mine the sulphur as the local economy thrives off of the industry.

The miners often suffer from long term health implications such as decreased mobility, lung cancer, bronchitis and reduced vision due to the inhalation of the gas.

The extracted sulphur is taken to a processing factory in the surrounding area where the sulphur undergoes a purification process before being exported internationally.

The pure sulphur is used for a variety of purposes ranging from its use in household cleaning products, makeup, explosives and even the purification of sugar.

This footage was filmed in December 2019.

The Ijen volcano on Indonesia’s largest island of Java is one of the few places in the world where sulphur is still mined without machines.

For the locals who mine the raw sulphur it is a source of income and the local economy thrives off the sulphur industry. So much so that there was been continuous resistance to any form of modernisation in order to protect jobs. Everyday up to 100 miners navigate their way up the volcano and down into the crater to mine for sulphur. It’s dangerous work but despite the long term health implications that breathing in sulphur gas can cause, there is no shortage of locals willing to risk everything to earn a good salary. Long term sulphur miners often suffer from multiple health problems such as decreased mobility, lung cancer, bronchitis and reduced vision.

The extracted sulphur is taken to a processing factory in the surrounding area where the sulphur undergoes a purification process before being exported internationally. The pure sulphur is used for a variety of purposes ranging from its use in household cleaning products, make up, explosives and even the purification of sugar.

On the largest Indonesian island of Java is a large sulphur mining industry which has been in operation for more than two decades. The sulphur is first extracted by hand from the Ijen volcano, brought down the mountain then transported to a processing factory to begin the purification process.

The first stage of the purification process is to boil the raw sulphur in large vats of boiling water. This breaks down the sulphur into a liquid form which begins the separation between the sulphur and other natural materials extracted at the time of mining. The liquid is then poured through several filters and on to the next stage in the process. The filtering process is designed to extract unwanted natural material from the liquid sulphur which is unavoidably extracted at the time of mining.

The second stage of the purification process is the removal excess materials in the form of sludge that collects at the bottom of the vats. A worker will extract the sludge using a sieve on a pole and then pour the boiling liquid sulphur through a series of finer filters.

The third stage of the purification process is the final filtering process. The liquid sulphur is poured through a series of finer filters which empty into metal barrels.

The fourth stage of the purification process is the final stage in the production line. The liquid sulphur is poured onto a tiled factory floor to cool it down and eventually solidify. Once the sulphur has solidified, it is broken up into small pieces using a scraper then collected in sacks. The sacks of purified sulphur are transported on a truck out of the jungle to a holding facility before being exported to international clients around the world.

After the purification process is complete the pure sulphur is used for a variety of purposes ranging from its use in household cleaning products, make up, explosives and even the purification of sugar.

Licin, Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, Indonesia