The Sulphur Miners of Ijen by lightmediation

The Sulphur Miners of Ijen Twice a day they climb the Ijen volcano and descend the slope with baskets full of sulphur weighing up to a hundred kilograms. Photos and text Ronald de Hommel/LightMediation

2441-11: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers ascend the mountain every day to collect the thick yellow chunks of sulphur. They carry baskets weighing 70-90 kilo's 300m up to the crater rim and then down to a small processing plant on the slopes of the mountain. They earn approximately 6 Euros a day with the heavy labour. They're happy with their work though, because they earn a lot more than they could in any other job in the region. Contrary to the expectations the contact with the sulphur fumes has no negative effect on the health of the workers. Breathing the fumes while collecting the sulphur is like breathing tear gas. But it doesn't seem to affect the lungs, doctors in the region confirm. Working in hell, not that bad at all.

Contact - Thierry Tinacci -LightMediation Photo Agency - +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 thierry@lightmediation.com

2441-01: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces

2441-02: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Workers are doing maintenance on the steel pipes that channel the liquid sulphur down. The steel pipes

2441-03: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as they have hardened enough. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East

2441-04: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as

2441-09: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The miners breath through a wet cloth to prevent condensation of the sulphur vapours in their lungs. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de 300 ouvriers montent la montagne chaque jour pour rassembler les gros morceaux jaunes de soufre. Ils portent des paniers pesant de 70-90 kilos. Ils gagnent approximativement 6 euros par jour. Ils gagnent plus qu'avec n'importe quel autre travail dans la region. L'Inhalation des vapeurs est comme inhaler du gaz lacrymogene. Mais il ne semble pas affecter les poumons selon les medecins de la region.

2441-05: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Miner/// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de

2441-06: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The bottom of the 300m deep crater is partially covered with a poisonous lake./// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre.

2441-07: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to

2441-08: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers

2441-12: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as they have hardened enough. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de 300 ouvriers montent la montagne chaque jour pour rassembler les gros morceaux jaunes de soufre. Ils portent des paniers pesant de 70-90 kilos. Ils gagnent approximativement 6 euros par jour. Ils gagnent plus qu'avec n'importe quel autre travail dans la region. L'Inhalation des vapeurs est comme inhaler du gaz lacrymogene. Mais il ne semble pas affecter les poumons selon les medecins de la region.

2441-10: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as they have hardened enough.

2441-11: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers

2441-12: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as

2441-13: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The miners breath through a wet cloth to prevent condensation of the sulphur vapours in their lungs. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes

2441-14: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Workers are doing maintenance on the steel pipes that channel the liquid sulphur down. The steel pipes are more than one cm thick, but have to be replaced every two to

2441-15: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to

2441-16: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to

2441-02: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Workers are doing maintenance on the steel pipes that channel the liquid sulphur down. The steel pipes are more than one cm thick, but have to be replaced every two to three years. If leaks aren't repaired right away the sulphur will harden in the pipes and render the whole channel useless. The thick smoke makes maintenance work on the slope a difficult job. The workers are paid much better than the sulphur miners. But they work in two week shifts and stay on the mountain during this period. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers ascend the mountain every day to collect the thick yellow chunks of sulphur. They carry baskets weighing 70-90 kilo's 300m up to the crater rim and then down to a small processing plant on the slopes of the mountain. They earn approximately 6 Euros a day with the heavy labour. They're happy with their work though, because they earn a lot more than they could in any other job in the region. Contrary to the expectations the contact with the sulphur fumes has no negative effect on the health of the workers. Breathing the fumes while collecting the sulphur is like breathing tear gas. But it doesn't seem to affect the lungs, doctors in the region confirm. Working in hell, not that bad at all.

2441-17: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers

2441-18: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to the processing plant. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale

2441-19: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers

2441-20: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to

2441-04: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as they have hardened enough./// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de 300 ouvriers montent la montagne chaque jour pour rassembler les gros morceaux jaunes de soufre. Ils portent des paniers pesant de 70-90 kilos. Ils gagnent approximativement 6 euros par jour. Ils gagnent plus qu'avec n'importe quel autre travail dans la region. L'Inhalation des vapeurs est comme inhaler du gaz lacrymogene. Mais il ne semble pas affecter les poumons selon les medecins de la region.

2441-21: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale

2441-22: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale

2441-23: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small processing plant the collected sulphur is purified. The filtered sulphur is stored in bags to be exported all over Asia. /// Le

2441-24: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small processing plant the collected sulphur is purified. The filtered

2441-01: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers ascend the mountain every day to collect the thick yellow chunks of sulphur. They carry baskets weighing 70-90 kilo's 300m up to the crater rim and then down to a small processing plant on the slopes of the mountain. They earn approximately 6 Euros a day with the heavy labour. They're happy with their work though, because they earn a lot more than they could in any other job in the region. Contrary to the expectations the contact with the sulphur fumes has no negative effect on the health of the workers. Breathing the fumes while collecting the sulphur is like breathing tear gas. But it doesn't seem to affect the lungs, doctors in the region confirm. Working in hell, not that bad at all.

2441-25: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. This weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the

2441-26: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. This weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the plant the baskets are weighed again. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans

2441-27: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The thick smoke makes maintenance work on the slope a difficult job. The workers are paid much better than the sulphur miners. But they work in two week shifts and stay on

2441-28: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de 300 ouvriers montent la

2441-22: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de 300 ouvriers montent la montagne chaque jour pour rassembler les gros morceaux jaunes de soufre. Ils portent des paniers pesant de 70-90 kilos. Ils gagnent approximativement 6 euros par jour. Ils gagnent plus qu'avec n'importe quel autre travail dans la region. L'Inhalation des vapeurs est comme inhaler du gaz lacrymogene. Mais il ne semble pas affecter les poumons selon les medecins de la region.

2441-30: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale

2441-31: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. One weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the

2441-32: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small processing plant the collected sulphur is processed. The

2441-29: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small processing plant the collected sulphur is purified. The filtered sulphur is stored in bags to be exported all over Asia. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de 300 ouvriers montent la montagne chaque jour pour rassembler les gros morceaux jaunes de soufre. Ils portent des paniers pesant de 70-90 kilos. Ils gagnent approximativement 6 euros par jour. Ils gagnent plus qu'avec n'importe quel autre travail dans la region. L'Inhalation des vapeurs est comme inhaler du gaz lacrymogene. Mais il ne semble pas affecter les poumons selon les medecins de la region.

2441-33: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small processing plant the collected sulphur is processed. The

2441-34: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Production manager Sumarson has worked on the Ijen volcano for 34 years. He started at twenty. He

2441-35: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Production manager Sumarson has worked on the Ijen volcano for 34 years. He started at twenty. He

2441-36: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. One weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the

2441-37: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners get paid at the end of every day. /// Le cratere du volcan d'Ijen dans Java-Orientale produit de grandes quantites de soufre. Plus de 300 ouvriers montent la montagne chaque jour pour rassembler les gros morceaux jaunes de soufre. Ils portent des paniers pesant de 70-90 kilos. Ils gagnent approximativement 6 euros par jour. Ils gagnent plus qu'avec n'importe quel autre travail dans la region. L'Inhalation des vapeurs est comme inhaler du gaz lacrymogene. Mais il ne semble pas affecter les poumons selon les medecins de la region.

The Sulphur Miners of Ijen Twice a day they climb the Ijen volcano and descend the slope with baskets full of sulphur weighing up to a hundred kilograms. The sulphur miners of Ijen. They collect the bright yellow mineral in the crater of the 2800m high Kawah Ijen. The tough work earns them about six Euros a day. But they don't complain. It's more than they can earn in most other jobs in rural East Java. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 men work on the mountain to collect thick chunks of the yellow mineral. The sulphur (red when liquid) is channelled through steel pipes from the fumaroles on the slope of the crater to a central point. Here the liquid quickly crystallises into a thick bright yellow crust. The men use heavy steel bars to break off large chunks that they collect in their baskets. The miners have to endure clouds of sulphuric fumes that burn their eyes and throats and make them cough violently. "I've worked here for more than eight years now," the forty-year-old Muljono explains. "I'm actually a farmer but I don't earn enough with that to support my family." Many farmers like Muljono only own a tiny piece of land or just one cow. They work as sulphur carriers to earn some extra cash. "As a farmer you only earn money a few times a year when you have a harvest," he explains. "I like working on the mountain. I get paid right away and it pays more than I could earn in

a coffee plantation for example. I have two children and I can send them both to school with the extra money I make. My 19 year old son is studying now so he won't have to do this work later." Area Manager, Didik Sudja'i who has worked for the sulphur company Chandi Ngrimbi for 38 years, agrees with him. "Many of the young people nowadays can go to school and manage to find jobs on the neighbouring island Bali. So far we don't have problems finding new workers, although they are getting older. Many have worked on Bali for some years. When they return to their families here, they have saved some money to buy a piece of land or a small business. They come and work for us only when they need some extra money." The company has been extracting sulphur from the crater since 1970. Sudja'i: "We process 10 to 15 tons of sulphur every day. We could produce more, but we adjust our production to the demand on the market." The mineral is used by the sugar and paper industry for bleaching, for medical drugs, the vulcanisation of tyres and for explosives. Sudja'i: "Since the Bali bombings in 2002 we have to ask for a police declaration from all of our clients so our products won't be used to illegally produce explosives." At the top of the mountain a miner, Pa Shuban, is slowly moving up the steep crater rim. At 35 he is considered a senior, having the responsibility over several colleagues. He carries a load of 85 kilos. Every few minutes he rests for a while. When he is half way he leaves his baskets to collect the next load. The workers spread the heavy work this way, so they don't have to carry the load all the way at once. This is also the reason their baskets

are weighed twice. Once on top of the mountain and once at the bottom to prevent theft from each other's baskets. Shuban: "In general the atmosphere amongst the colleagues is good though. I like my work, but if I could find another job that pays the same I would take it right away. This work is very tough on my body. I've never had any serious health problems; luckily, because I don't have medical insurance. My father in law worked here many years ago. He fell and broke his leg. It never healed properly. He still walks with crutches. And breathing the sulphur fumes every day is probably not very good for my lungs.". Doctor Joko Triyono who runs the only health centre in the area disputes this. "If there's a problem with one of the sulphur miners they'll come here," he explains. "But I don't get to see many. They're not the types that run to the doctor for every small thing. I only see miners here with non-work related problems like snakebites or broken limbs. I do check their lungs whenever they come in though, but I've never discovered any serious respiratory problems. A lung doctor in the Netherlands agrees: "Inhaling the sulphur fumes on a regular basis has no proven harmful effects on the lungs." Triyono: "They al smoke like chimneys, that's a lot worse for their health."

Captions 2441-01: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. 2441-02: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Workers are doing maintenance on the steel pipes that channel the liquid sulphur down. The steel pipes are more than one cm thick, but have to be replaced every two to three years. If leaks aren't repaired right away the sulphur will harden in the pipes and render the whole channel useless. The thick smoke makes maintenance work on the slope a difficult job. The workers are paid much better than the sulphur miners. But they work in two week shifts and stay on the mountain during this period. 2441-03-04: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as they have hardened enough. 2441-06: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The bottom of the 300m deep crater is partially covered with a poisonous lake. 2441-07: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to the processing plant. The bottom of the 300m deep crater is partially covered with a poisonous lake. 2441-08-11: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The crater of the Ijen volcano in East Java produces large quantities of sulphur. More than 300 workers ascend the mountain every day to collect the thick yellow chunks of sulphur. They carry baskets

weighing 70-90 kilo's 300m up to the crater rim and then down to a small processing plant on the slopes of the mountain. They earn approximately 6 Euros a day with the heavy labour. They're happy with their work though, because they earn a lot more than they could in any other job in the region. Contrary to the expectations the contact with the sulphur fumes has no negative effect on the health of the workers. Breathing the fumes while collecting the sulphur is like breathing tear gas. But it doesn't seem to affect the lungs, doctors in the region confirm. Working in hell, not that bad at all. 2441-09-13: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The miners breath through a wet cloth to prevent condensation of the sulphur vapours in their lungs. 2441-10: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as they have hardened enough. The miners breath through a wet cloth to prevent condensation of the sulphur vapours in their lungs. 2441-12: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Liquid sulphur is red and turns bright yellow when it cools down. The workers chop of chunks as soon as they have hardened enough. 2441-14: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Workers are doing maintenance on the steel pipes that channel the liquid sulphur down. The steel pipes are more than one cm thick, but have to be replaced every two to three years. If leaks aren't repaired right away the sulphur will harden in the pipes and render the whole channel useless.

2441-15-16: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to the processing plant. 2441-18-20: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners first have to climb 300 m up to the crater rim. A five km long track leads them down to the processing plant. 2441-21-22: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. 2441-23-24: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small processing plant the collected sulphur is purified. The filtered sulphur is stored in bags to be exported all over Asia. 2441-25: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. This weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the plant the baskets are weighed again. 2441-26: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. This weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the plant the baskets are weighed again. 2441-27: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The thick smoke makes maintenance work on the slope a difficult job. The workers are paid much better than the sulphur miners. But they work in two week shifts and stay on the mountain during this period. 2441-28: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The baskets with sulphur can weigh up to 100 kilos. 2441-29: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small

processing plant the collected sulphur is purified. The filtered sulphur is stored in bags to be exported all over Asia. 2441-31: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. One weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the plant the baskets are weighed again. 2441-32-33: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. On the slope of the Ijen volcano In a small processing plant the collected sulphur is processed. The sulphur is heated up again and then filtered. The purified sulphur is stored in bags to be exported all over Asia. 2441-34-35: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. Production manager Sumarson has worked on the Ijen volcano for 34 years. He started at twenty. He personaly leads the maintenance crew. 2441-36: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The load is weighed twice. One weighing station is located high on the slope. Just before entering the plant the baskets are weighed again. 2441-37: Ijen Volcano, Indonesia. The sulphur miners get paid at the end of every day.