Indonesia's Hellish Ijen Sulfur Mine

These sulfur miners are tough! The biting, poisonous clouds are not steam, but are made up of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide gases. And - as I mentioned in the video - these gases are so concentrated that they can eventually dissolve the miner’s teeth! Regardless, they are often wearing little more than a scarf wrapped around their face, thin clothes and sandals (As an interesting “oh by the way” regarding clothing, the smell of the sulfur gases is extremely persistent and doesn't wash out of your clothes in a regular washing machine).
Then, of course, there is the backbreaking work of hauling the blocks of sulfur, often weighing more than the miners do, up that “trail” to the top of the crater. It is hardly a “trail” in the literal sense either. Really, it is just a route. Sections frequently skirt crumbly edges and thread their way through rocky drop-offs. Perhaps not surprisingly many of the miners have severe back problems and bodies covered in scars and burn marks.
As I stated in the video, the lake of sulfuric acid is the largest in the world. It is and more than 2,300 feet in diameter and more than 650 feet deep! That’s a lot of acid… The acid is quite potent as well. People have been killed by accidentally falling into the lake.
Aside from all of the above, it also has to be kept in mind that Ijen is still an active volcano and, as such, can become MORE active at any time. The last major eruption was in 1817, but explosions and eruptions of ash and gases are regular occurrences and frequently kill miners. Bizarre events such as the lake changing color overnight are commonplace as well.
The primary fear in the local community is that a larger eruption could blow out the lake (I mean that literally). The eruption in 1817 resulted in the entire lake being suddenly ejected into the surrounding countryside, inundating the land with its acid contents (with predictably fatal results for the villagers and flora and fauna residing there). It could happen again at any time.
If you’re thinking it might be preferable to work at the nearby sulfur refinery in Licin, well, it is similarly hellish to the mining.
It is not an explore of an abandoned mine, but I thought that you, my viewers, would find it interesting nevertheless…

[@MotionArtist3D]

Dude, if anyone has already mentioned it, excuse the repetition but you deserve an Award for this short documentary. I have not seen anything like it. Totally engrossing. Being a new subscriber, and like most, Loving your channel.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much for the sub and the great comment... It really means a lot to me - especially when it is one like this that I put a lot of work into. Ha, positive repetition is always appreciated! It helps drown out the trolls and the haters...

[@lvtiguy226]

Thank you for posting this video and for showing the conditions that are endured by so many to extract this sulfur. This video is a sober reminder that nothing we buy is "cheap". Someone pays the price, regardless if we see them or not. There is a cost for everything we use and consume. Sometimes we absorb the costs of safer production, sometimes that cost has been paid by someone else so that the end user pays less. As an environmental scientist, this video was both fascinating and terrifying all in the same moment.

[@TVRExploring]

Very well said... Thank you.

[@MinesoftheWest]

Wow that’s insane, man. I can’t imagine enduring those conditions every single day to make a living, unreal. Great job documenting it!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. It's a tough way to make a living, to be sure! It was brutal just being down there filming for a few hours. So, doing the heavy work of mining and hauling the sulfur out is really next level.

[@anne9134]

@@TVRExploring All that gruelling work, under such deplorable, health and safety conditions, for $10.00 a day!!! Think of all the rich, probably filthy rich people that live off the backs of these men! Starting from the owner of the mine, and down to all those industries that come from it! It sicking, and so sad!

[@direbearcoat7551]

@@TVRExploring I realize that this is an old video, but what did the sulfur fumes smell like?

[@TVRExploring]

Hard to describe, but much sharper than the typical rotten egg smell associated with sulfur... More like battery acid.

[@direbearcoat7551]

@@TVRExploring Damn.... That's crazy. Breathing acidic fumes...

[@AbandonedMines11]

Great video with fascinating footage! 9000 feet of elevation gain? Wow! Killer hike!

[@Rambogner]

Exploring Abandoned Mines and Unusual Places This channel is now pulling in the colossus of mine explorers i see.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, the hike up there is LONG... I didn't want to dwell on that too much because compared to what the miners do, it is a joke. But, yeah, I honestly can't imagine doing it during the day with the heat and humidity.

[@ryangoebel77]

The crater rim is at 9000ft, but the actual hike only involves about 500-600 ft of elevation gain.

[@soyounoat2814]

You are a fearless explorer, documenting places that would otherwise be unknown to all but an extreme few. Heady stuff that deserves recognition.

[@TVRExploring]

I really appreciate the kind words. Thank you.

[@matthewtaylor5655]

Thanks, you tell it like it is, the planet needs more people like you !

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much for your kind words. Yes, I certainly do try to tell/show how something really is without editorializing the subject matter.

[@Askjeffwilliams]

Wow....that's brutal...makes drift mining look easy. Be safe my friend and thanks for the fantastic vids....

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you, Jeff! Haha, yeah, this kinda makes underground drift mining seem not so bad at all, eh?

[@KubotaManDan]

Chill Bill is looking -US West Coast Trip Feb 2018 Want to team up? kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYi1mHeKd56Krck

[@TVRExploring]

Thanks for passing on the tip about this... I always enjoy meeting interesting people. Unfortunately, I'm only in the U.S. in the summers now.

[@CorvusCasull]

Hellish, but fascinating. They seem like such fun, friendly folks, horrible how it destroys their health. Found myself wanting to help with the work, and bring some refreshments down there for everybody - they absolutely deserve it. Many of your videos are next-level stuff, keep it up sir.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. I gave all of my water to guys carrying heavy loads of sulfur up, but if I had had a better idea of what it was like, I would have brought more stuff to share with the miners (and I felt bad that I did not know to bring more). Pretty amazing how fun and friendly they were despite working in such grim conditions day in and day out, huh? Obviously, some videos are better than others (I know that too), but I appreciate the fact that you feel more are on the good side than the bad side. That's what matters to me!

[@thomasbeck9075]

The more of your videos I watch the more amazed I am at how much you have really put into your channel. From braving old underground workings to travelling the globe. Your work is legendary to say the very least

[@TVRExploring]

I really appreciate you saying that...

[@olivei2484]

That water on the hot pipes and with the SO2 would produce basically sulphuric acid. Very tough way to make a living. Thanks for the footage.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you for the comment. Yes, you are 100% correct about the sulfuric (or sulphuric in British English) acid. It was not exactly a friendly environment for life down there... Indeed, it is tough to think of many jobs to top this one.

[@olivei2484]

TVR Exploring I am amazed that you and the others endure that environment. Any idea on the ground temps? Just wow.

[@TVRExploring]

I miss a lot of comments because KZbin doesn't always send me notifications... It is just by chance that I saw this one. The ground temps were all over the place. When we arrived in the dark, it was freezing and a heavy jacket was needed. However, when the sun came up, it started to get extremely hot. It would fluctuate wildly based on the way the wind was blowing the sulfur around though.

[@Ridley369]

This was absolutely amazing to be able to witness. A sulfur lake down in the center of a volcano, with the world's toughest miners mining away around the edges of the inner crater. They definitely seem like good-spirited, friendly people.

[@bobmacadu840]

And here I thought my job sucked. Sulfuric acid forming in all mucus membranes...

[@TVRExploring]

You know, I actually didn't know what happens when sulfur dioxide encounters liquid before I went down there. I learned real quickly though! Better than any high school chemistry class... Ha, yeah, seeing those miners work caused me to reevaluate a couple of jobs I had in the past that I bitched about.

[@CurlyToedShoes]

I'm stunned. Never seen anything like this before. Sobering to imagine people working in that much of an extreme, dangerous environment. Fascinating and terrifying. Thanks for sharing this eye-opening experience with all of us.

[@TVRExploring]

Thanks for watching. This is one of my favorite videos... And, yes, the extremes those miners are working in are incredible.

[@MarkRose1337]

This is the coolest video I've seen from Ijen. I had a vaguely similar experience in Iceland, from the fumaroles at Gunnuhver. By the time I got near them, the H2S had basically knocked out my sense of smell. I took a cool video of the exhausted passing over me... and that was a mistake. My lungs hurt the rest of the day, my eyes burned, and I was sleepy. All signs of getting gassed by H2S. Thankfully I had no pulmonary endema. I also picked up bits of mushy sulphur, which burnt off the epidermis of my fingertips, and knocked out my sense of touch for several days. I was surprised to see some of the miners handling the sulphur without gloves, based on that experience. The sad part is that sulphur is produced as a byproduct of petroleum refinement, and there's no need for the miners to be doing what they are doing. As the allowable sulphur content in gasoline and diesel has gone down, much more is available on the market for other purposes. It used to be left in the dirtiest fuels, such as marine bunker. I'd like to see Ijen someday.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you! Yes, the fumaroles knock out your sense of smell pretty quickly! It took a few days for my lungs and everything else to feel normal again as well. I briefly picked up a couple of dry crumbs of sulfur and experienced no ill effects. I wonder if their mushy state had something to do with what you experienced? I was not aware that the petroleum refining process produced commercially viable amounts of sulfur. That's interesting...

[@MarkRose1337]

I did grab the sulphur from the edge of a small pool. In retrospect, the pool was probably full of sulphuric acid. The next time I go, I hope to bring an H2S monitor and I guess I should grab some pH test strips, too. And yes, ever since the air quality legislation in the 1970's, refiners have been extracting sulphur. In 1995, US refineries produced 13,753 metric tons per day. I haven't found more recent numbers. Most of it gets used for fertilizer. What these guys pull out of the volcano is almost nothing.

[@olspanner]

Thank you Justin for directing us to this video. So now we know what Hell looks like. Just love the variety you provide and share with us on these adventures.

[@dezhead3529]

One of the best mining videos if not the best I've ever watched nice job

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. It was a hell of a place...

[@dogsarebetterthanpeople4603]

Incredible video. Never knew a life like this existed for some people. What you are bringing to your channel is absolutely awesome. Glad I came across it.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, this is a grim life, to be sure...

[@Plutonion2]

Excellent effort documenting this mine, thank you, that was very interesting.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. I'm glad you found it interesting.

[@humblebuddhist89]

Watching this makes sitting at my desk job so much more bearable... It's crazy to think what some people do for a job.

[@TVRExploring]

It's a brutal way to make a living...

[@ahabtheplant]

I'd bet that they would consider one of our mines in the US to be a picnic. A walk in the park.

[@TVRExploring]

Ha, I'll bet you're right about that! It's hard, really, to think of many jobs that can top what these guys are doing...

[@thorgodinson3632]

@@TVRExploring At least it didn't seem like they were at gun point like some mines I saw in Afg. and a couple other unnamed locations. Small blessings?

[@williamwintemberg]

Until now I always said I would do what I needed to do to survive. This one would be a game changer for me. So I'm thinking. Great Video!!! A Genuine Eye Opener For Sure! Hell on Earth! Great Work!

[@TVRExploring]

Yeah, this work is a pretty grim way to survive...

[@Peter_S_]

Hellish and amazing. Your videos are astoundingly good! Thank you for the vicarious experience and the education.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. I'm glad you found it interesting. It is certainly hellish...

[@shadowworlds]

Thats some insane work. Thanks for giving us a look into this and all for about 10 dollars a day.

[@TVRExploring]

It's incredible what these guys endure. Kind of puts things in perspective when someone complains that they don't do "meaningful" work...

[@CornishMineExplorer]

That was a real eye opener! Unreal what those people do every day to earn a living, made my back cringe when I see them carrying out the rocks! Well done for braving the toxic hell and thanks for sharing this!

[@TVRExploring]

Well, I can't have you guys getting bored with videos just from Nevada and California, can I? Yes, that is absolutely brutal work for the miners. Hard to imagine how their backs must feel after a decade of doing that every day, twice a day... I wasn't fast enough with the camera, but you should have seen some of the scars these guys have on their shoulders and backs from the friction of those boards they balance the heavy sulfur loads on grinding against their skin.

[@ejbeckgt]

I Don't EVER want to be a Sulfur Miner...

[@TVRExploring]

It wouldn't be near the top of my career choices either!

[@RogueRunner85]

Amazing work guys! This is better then TV.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you!

[@rh5563]

Insane that you did this. Outstanding video! 👍👍👍

[@hopelesshomestead1041]

Loved that guy with the song. What a positive attitude for a place like that!

[@TVRExploring]

I don't know where he found the positive energy down there, but yes!

[@channelasianewterminatexii7594]

@@TVRExploring in indonesia if you found some workers like that its mean Santai (Relaxx) when do anything job, hard or easy.

[@michaelcoker3197]

A new mining perspective. You are everywhere!

[@TVRExploring]

Ha, well, I don't want you guys getting bored with just stuff from California and Nevada!

[@ElementalMaker]

Absolutely amazing video! These guys are packing some serious brass! I'm seriously in awe. Seems like a life risking event just to do it once, let alone every day just to make a living.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. Yes, those guys really impressed me! Pretty amazing how they can remain so friendly and fun despite such grim work too, huh? They do have fatal accidents, but, really, I'm amazed there aren't more of them. It is kind of hard to tell because the path was covered in sulfur clouds most of the way, but a wrong step along the way (which is easy to do when carrying the kinds of loads they do) and it is a long, long fall down.

[@jamesfohare]

Thank's Justin for the video, a real hard way to make a living for those guys.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, you're right about that. It's a real tough way to make a living!

[@MrMiryks]

Great pictures, well done! You are a brave man doing these documentations about the insane working conditions of these poor and hardworking mens.

[@CotSwossel]

I'm pretty new to your channel, this is impressive as heck though! I've been missing out not having found your channel sooner!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. Glad to have you coming along with us...

[@Mine-Finder]

I love the smell of sulphuric acid in the morning.

[@hugovader6727]

MASSIVE RESPECT FOR THIS GUYS ..... MASSIVE !!!!

[@TVRExploring]

Me too! What they have to go through on a daily basis is unreal and yet they are the friendliest bunch of guys one could hope to meet...

[@DeBoswachter]

Amazing video! What a place to work, that sure needs a strong spirit. Thank you for the video!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. Yes, these miners were a tough bunch, to be sure! Exceptionally friendly, but also exceptionally tough...

[@kengrezzy3827]

Hard core miners

[@TVRExploring]

They sure are...

[@BluAngel53]

Thank you for this video. Seeing something like this reminds me of how blessed we are.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

[@QbutNotTheQ]

I’m glad to see everyone using OSHA approved PPE. 😊

[@deandrover2565]

Documentary: Working Man's Death is partly about this mine. It was clear weather when the footage was taken, so definitely accentuates this video in fog. Just found this channel. Fascinating to view. Thank you.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you! I have heard about that documentary, but I have not seen it yet...

[@davidmicheletti6292]

Tough way to make a living. Good video

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, being a sulfur miner would not be near the top of my career choices.

[@whistle3man]

Great video. It amazing what a person will do to support his family

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you! They say we can get used to almost anything, but I think this is pretty far down the spectrum of things that one could get used to.

[@herrbrahms]

Working in a cloud of SO2 at high altitude sounds like a perfect recipe for a miner to develop pulmonary edema while carrying a load down the mountain. I wonder how many men have died after a hard day's work.

[@TheKellouise]

Thank you so much for sharing this eye opening video.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you for watching it and commenting on it! I'm glad you found it interesting...

[@RockyMtnGobblers]

Very interesting, thanks for posting

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Glad you found it interesting...

[@ethericlight1346]

Wish I could go there when I have a bad cold or the flu. Smelling the sulfur does wonders when your sick if your not allergic to it. Sulfur is what they use in most medicines today!

[@TVRExploring]

Well, there was enough sulfur there to cure cancer! My lungs hurt for 48 hours after this visit and the clothes I wore that day still smell of sulfur.

[@lebeshahmed5358]

That’s quite the dangerous environment. It’s crazy to see them working their with little or no safety precautions. I’m pretty sure when sulfur meets the moisture in your air ways, it creates a Sulfuric acid hence the intense burning.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, you are 100% correct about what happens when the sulfur encounters the moisture in your eyes, throat, lungs, etc. I actually didn't know that before I went down there, but I learned quickly! Working in these conditions definitely takes a heavy toll on the health of the miners...

[@hambonebecracken9606]

No miner's were harmed in the making in the making of this video

[@VASHXKALIBER]

Welcome to Sulfur Industries.

[@seandepoppe6716]

Damn! Dude! I watch this stuff not put myself in it. But what a significant piece from you! Thanks again

[@carysfaerie]

Wow. What a beautiful surreal yet terrifying place..And thanks for the incredible footage..unlike anything I’ve seen properly documented on the television.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. Yes, this was unlike any place I have ever been before... It did have a stark beauty though, to be sure.

[@theogdirkdiggler]

Speechless

[@TVRExploring]

Pretty wild, huh?

[@scottprather5645]

Those sulfer stalactites would make awesome mineral specimens the miners could get a lot more money per pound for them!! Also great job on the documentary very interesting

[@NetanyahooWarCriminal]

Our history with sulfur is a fascinating one

[@dancooper4583]

Don't ever bring some baking soda down to that lake!

[@leehilton9932]

Dan Cooper just drop it from a helicopter and get the hell out of there, but drop like a whole pallet+

[@dancooper4583]

That would be a life size school science fair volcano. How much would you need to get foam to erupt over the sides?

[@leehilton9932]

Dan Cooper a semi load+ is my guess

[@TVRExploring]

Now THAT would really be something to see...

[@Peter_S_]

That lake would laugh at baking soda. The result would be some foam made up of sodium sulfate, water, and CO2.

[@muleskinnermining8661]

Absolutely unreal! Could not even begin to see how those miners put up with those conditions. I'll never complain about working underground in a hard rock mine again!

[@TVRExploring]

Haha, well, I think you can complain a little about some of the experiences you've been through... I hope Idaho is treating you well!

[@muleskinnermining8661]

TVR Exploring I have three leads for work at three different mines here in Idaho. Hopefully something will come out of it.

[@tomfips4682]

Thanks for knocking a few years of your life off to give us this 'down to earth' footage. Personally I believe your half nuts for doing this, but I know your love and passion for this kind of thing and I'm sure you where just as fascinated with it as we all are. You are a brave man. Thank you for showing this as it is.World needs more people like you documatating things as you do without an agenda. Well done, hats off to you. And, where is Chuck? Hope he's ok.

[@TVRExploring]

Haha, as long as someone finds it interesting, that's good enough for me... No agenda here. I'm just trying to show it how it is. For some reason Chuck opted out of this one. I just can't understand that guy sometimes.

[@tomfips4682]

Funny!

[@ayina111]

Don't forget about the lake sitting next to the mining. If you fell on the water you just disappeared

[@frequencyfluxfandango8504]

I Thank you for this one. This is someone suffering for their art alright ! 10/10. -Of course, these are people suffering in appalling, shocking conditions, just to feed their families. GREAT channel content though, I say, as I gratefully breathe fresh air.

[@TVRExploring]

Haha, you're right about the suffering. That was a rough 24 hours. To be fair though, I only endured that for one day. Those guys have to grind through that every day. Thanks for the kind words.

[@grantglow4206]

amazing work man, thanks for showing this!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you very much. This sulfur mine was an amazing site...

[@richardbidinger2577]

I've seen something about this on one of the various news magazines, but they didn't go into anywhere near this amount of detail. I doubt their camera crews would have put up with that nightmare for as long as you did. Kudos to you. Fantastic documentation though. Impressive how they modified the vents to collect the sulfur. I wouldn't last an hour there. Welcome to the wonderful world of tear gas.

[@TVRExploring]

Oh, man, it was brutal down there... It took a few days before my lungs felt 100% again! Thank you for the great comment. I really appreciate the support and kind words.

[@TourPro]

Very interesting and definitely not your typical tourism destination.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Haha, no, there weren't a lot of people posing for selfies or sipping cocktails with little umbrellas in them here...

[@paulcooper2897]

6 years late but ... I remeber seeing a documentary on these mines .. astoundingly hellish. 12:00 .. thay guy is literally working in Hell, and still loving life, singing and dancing! Makes you wonder WTF is wrong with all the people whining about "how hard their life is" in our modern North American lives... Thanks for sharing 🇨🇦

[@TVRExploring]

I agree with you 100% on this one!

[@turnerthemanc]

A great piece of work. Bravo!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you! This was a tough one to document, but it sure was interesting...

[@thorgodinson3632]

That is a classic example of a 'nope' mine. I'd visit like you did, once, but... nope. You'd think with the ingenuity of the pipe line and cooling/collecting they find a slightly better way to transport it. Like steel cables between poles, nothing fancy, so they can push up in baskets fixed with hooks instead of compacting their spines. So many ideas come to mind but I know its an economic thing and the miners would probably have to foot the bill for everything. I'm glad i live in the US.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it is an economic thing. In this country, labor is expensive and equipment is cheap. Over there, it is the reverse. Equipment is expensive and labor is so cheap as to not even be worthy of consideration...

[@JaredLil2000]

That blows my mind. I get it, cheap labor in a poor country. But it seems like just a tiny bit of investment and the operation would become exponentially safer and more efficient

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, you're 100% right. However, who is going to make the investment? The mill buying the ore doesn't care how it gets there and the miners are all working for themselves.

[@michaelhenderson9039]

These kinds if experiences make you more appreciative of life in the US.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, they do.

[@robgandy4550]

Good gawd, Dante;s inferno for sure; Thanks for taking me back there. It is hell on earth, and I feel for those miners. I've been scared underground, but I would take scary underground rather than that,

[@TVRExploring]

Hell on earth is really not an exaggeration with this one, I believe... The miners suffer tremendously and, yes, if I were a miner, I'd take underground over the volcanic crater too! Thank you for the comment.

[@rustymotor]

Thanks for a fascinating video, extreme hardships these miners endure for such a low pay, anyone complaining about their job should come and work with these Blokes for a day. Imagine the air polution this Volcano is pumping out every day, lots of green house gas warming the planet, the EPA must shut it down!

[@abandoned-mines-novascotia]

I had looked into breathing volcanoes many years ago for the data related to greenhouse gas emissions - thinking for sure that the entire planet Earth *surely* would trump us human beings for emissions. Sadly, human beings add 90-100 times (yes, 100X) the greenhouse gasses into the planet's atmosphere per year, as compared to ALL the breathing volcanoes active on earth right now, combined. If you think about it, it's actually easy to understand. All the gasses you're seeing from this crater, in one whole day, would be trumped by just one rush hour of 200,000 exhaust pipes on the highways and interchanges of Los Angeles, any given day at 5 - 6pm. That's just one city.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you for the comment.

[@howellcanadian3976]

LOL. Sure

[@abandoned-mines-novascotia]

www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/which-emits-more-carbon-dioxide-volcanoes-or-human-activities www.skepticalscience.com/volcanoes-and-global-warming.htm volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/gas_climate.html

[@noelienoelie8425]

:looks over at the box of matches on the shelf 😔

[@dustinjohnson3463]

They seem to be very friendly people

[@AmbiAnts589]

Very interesting, thanks!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. I'm glad you found it interesting.

[@RobbWilliams11]

Never going to complain about my job ever again!....

[@TVRExploring]

Haha, yeah, it made me reassess a couple of past jobs of mine that I used to bitch about.

[@wf6951]

Its been a year, are you complaining about your job? I bet you are. ;)

[@adamlangdon2245]

12 min in...dude is actually singing in hell. I wish I was that cool. Great video 👍👏

[@davidsul7052]

That is a very dangerous place to work in case it unexpectedly explodes. In January 1993, 6 scientists and 3 toursts died in the crater of Mount Galeras in Colombia when it unexpectedly exploded The safest and fastest way in and out of such a place is by air. And you need a resporator with acid gas filters. And the fumes that cause the burning irritation are sufur dioxide fumes. Sulfur dioxide forms sulfuric acit upon contact with water. Thius you mucus membranes' burning irritation. Sulfur itself is non-toxic, and it's a mineral nutrient needed by the human body in small amounts. Onions are a souce of sulfur. A lot of that cloud coming from those pipes is water vapor (steam) condensing out in the cool air.

[@TVRExploring]

Unexpected explosions are not out of the question... This volcano is pretty active and plenty of people have been killed here. The acid reaction when sulfur dioxide encounters water (such as that in your eyes or throat) is not particularly pleasant. Worth it for a day of filming, but I feel for the miners that have to put up with it every day...

[@ryangoebel77]

"On the boat to the island where the mine is located"? That island is known as Java and is one of the most populated islands on the planet. Most foreigners arrive there by plane and utilize its many roads to get to Kawah Ijen, or take the large ferry from Bali. The boat scene in the beginning is a little deceptive.

[@TVRExploring]

It also happens to be the way that we got there... I didn't say that it was some lost, barely inhabited island. I said "On the boat to the island where the mine is located." What is factually incorrect or misleading about my statement? Just because you flew in to Java, doesn't mean that everybody does.

[@brighthottstarr]

Best part was the guy singing and dancing

[@kanggatotchannel]

Great video 👍

[@solemnwinter3235]

Fantastic footage, ty so much for sharing. Can you guys get some footage from an active coal mine in the United States, would like to see what has changed and what has remained the same. Would you also consider doing a short video on mine terminology: winz, adit and such, ty.

[@TVRExploring]

There are not any coal mines in our normal area of mine exploring and so we don't have any connections with people that work in coal mines. There is no way we would get permission without having a connection either. It's a shame because I think that would make for a great video. You're not the first to have requested a video covering the terminology. So, yes, I will do that video at some point.

[@Lizard_Queen6]

wow.. just wow. I have no words

[@TVRExploring]

It's a hell of a place...

[@DFDuck55]

Life expectancy is what I was wondering the whole time. Sulfur dioxide is heavier than air so sits in the bottom of your lungs and eats holes in them. Besides sulfur dioxide there can also be carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen halides. -- The worst I have seen, and smelled, was at Mount Diablo in Northern California in the early 1960's. At that time there were no fences around the bubbling lava pits, the trails were right on the edges of the pits and you could easily fall in. I heard that a few people did slip in and burn to death. The sulfur fumes were strong, but nothing like what I see in this video. I think the lava flows at Mount Diablo are more basalt than sulfur.

[@DFDuck55]

I wonder if the sulfur crystals are worth more. It seemed like they were looking specifically for them and keeping them intact rather than breaking them into smaller more manageable pieces.

[@ahabtheplant]

Duck Landes I'd pay good money for the one he held up. Their hellhole workplace, a collectors dream.

[@TVRExploring]

Yeah, it took about a week for my lungs to feel right again after spending just a few hours down there! So, I can't imagine how those miners must feel. Yes, the crystals are worth more, but I couldn't get past the language barrier to really understand how rare they are, how much more they are worth and if their value is simply because they look cool or if there is some sort of practical application for the sulfur crystals as opposed to the regular blocks of sulfur. They definitely were being careful to protect them though.

[@therideneverends1697]

I think they probably net more as they can be sold as collectables for a lot of money in rock shops. In the US I have seen Indonesian sulfur crystals going for over 100 bucks depending on side amongs collectors, so id bet there employers pay them extra for bringing those up

[@aaronkeeth651]

dude Justin, you are the shiznit

[@TVRExploring]

Haha, thank you, Aaron. Kinda makes underground mining look a whole lot better, no?

[@tarptent]

Looks so beautiful!

[@TVRExploring]

There is definitely a minimalist, stark beauty to the setting.

[@DazModeWatercooling]

Thanks fir sharing!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. It's a hell of a place...

[@chadi2402]

Very fascinating in many ways.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you.

[@friguy4444]

Wow. This must be like working in a place where you're sprayed with pepper spray and rotten eggs and well SULFUR! Crazy!! Really interesting though to see them actually pulling huge chunks of sulfur from here. I had no idea how it was mined. Crazy. You'd think they'd get something like scuba tanks of Oxygen or something to make it tolerable to work it. But I guess that's not an option at this point if ever.

[@TVRExploring]

Too much weight and too much money for the miners to be able to use supplemental oxygen... So, the miners just have to suffer through it. It's brutal.

[@DaKayH]

I'm glad your doing this and not me. But Love the Videos.

[@Big_John_C]

Damn! That makes my shitty job seam like a cake walk... Thanks for jeopardizing your health and safety just to give us all a look at how others make a living. Take care.

[@TVRExploring]

Hey, I like you guys. I'm willing to put myself out there to try and get something good for you! Haha, and, yeah, this made me reevaluate some of my past jobs that I have bitched about.

[@timdunk7278]

Rough go for little doe. Thanks for the great videos. I bet there's a lineup of guys waiting for a job there :/

[@TVRExploring]

Well said... Yes, given the economic conditions in the area, there is no shortage of guys willing to do this brutal work.

[@pauljohnson9698]

ALL that hard work so that i can light me cigarette the world gone mad

[@TVRExploring]

The pursuit of money drives men to do some things that seem pretty crazy at times...

[@linall2345]

I truly have no words for what those people have to endure. I feel ashamed for complaining at all. With the technology we have now, you would think there would be a better way to mine sulfur. They suffer with their health for only $10.00 day. Quite sad. Very interesting video.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it's pretty brutal. Well, there are better and easier ways to mine sulfur, but the labor is so cheap that no one bothers to improve the process... In developed countries, labor is often expensive compared to machinery. In developing countries, machinery is often expensive compared to labor.

[@heckels4765]

I ... have no words.

[@froggleggers1805]

Do these miners have "claims" or own certain areas? Or is it a free for all first come first serve? Curious as to how they delegate the mining and who can take what and work where.

[@TVRExploring]

The short answer is that I don't know. However, when I was there, the miners were sticking to certain areas, which leads me to believe that although they might not have anything as formal as a claim, there are certain spots that are understood to be the territory of a particular miner.

[@froggleggers1805]

Thanks!

[@XFTFX]

I think they do, like dividing some "territories" for them.

[@FL70NJ]

Fantastic video!! Any footage left that you can piece together and post? Thanks for sharing this video!!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, I probably have at least another hour or so of footage from this one.

[@FL70NJ]

I think it would be great to see more about this!!

[@newintellectual]

I've seen another video of this mining. What I wonder is why nobody has set up even a primitive ore cart track so at least they wouldn't have to hoof the sulfur out of the volcano on foot? It couldn't cost that much.

[@nowthisnamestaken]

I wonder why they didn't rig a pipe to facilitate the pouring of the water on the heated barrels. It would be a lot easier than running up with a bucket full and braving the sulfuric clouds.

[@TVRExploring]

I'm not sure, but I would imagine there is a good reason or they would have done it already.

[@Nutmeg-]

Don't even want to think about their life span and the little money they get for ruining their health by working there. But amazing shots. Have heard a lot about this place and it's interesting to finally see it be inspected closer.

[@alltheboost5363]

Wow that is completely unreal. they're literally working to die or dying while working. I feel bad for those people... it's like they're disposable. You know why they won't build the processing plant closed or have a conveyor belt or some system to where they don't have to work in the fumes because it's too dangerous. the equipment won't last and people are cheaper.

[@TVRExploring]

Exactly, the people are cheaper than the equipment. Like you said, the miners are disposable...

[@Porty1119]

That is beyond crazy. And I though H2S was unpleasant around 10ppm...

[@TVRExploring]

Yeah, that was a hell of of a place... Ha, I was wondering what you in particular would think of this one.

[@DSC800]

Are the miners working for themselves, or is this an owned operation? Sulfur is fairly expensive, around $500/kg* per my ability to google. I'm sure that's pure sulfur, but still what they are bringing out has significant value. Seems there is enough wealth to improve the operation: condensing, transporting, safety, etc, even in just small ways. Excuse my ignorance regardless. * edited: should be $500/ton

[@TVRExploring]

The miners are working for themselves and that may explain why there is not more infrastructure since that would require a large investment up front. The miners don't have sufficient resources to make an investment like that even if they were to pool their assets together. I may be mistaken, but the price you quoted for the sulfur sounds like the price per ton rather than the price for kilo.

[@DSC800]

TVR Exploring Yes, per ton (it was midnight), I added an edit. I'd re-watched and saw your text that they are making just $10 day which makes sense. Rough life, but they seem to make the best of it.

[@TVRExploring]

Ah, no worries. I figured that's what you meant. I'm not at my best at midnight either... It is indeed a rough life, but humans seem able to adapt to just about anything.