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.

[@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.

[@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...

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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...

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@brighthottstarr]

Best part was the guy singing and dancing

[@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.

[@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...

[@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.

[@ejbeckgt]

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

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@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?

[@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...

[@Plutonion2]

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

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@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...

[@rh5563]

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

[@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...

[@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.

[@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.

[@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...

[@kengrezzy3827]

Hard core miners

[@TVRExploring]

They sure are...

[@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!

[@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...

[@seandepoppe6716]

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

[@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...

[@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...

[@hambonebecracken9606]

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

[@QbutNotTheQ]

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

[@RogueRunner85]

Amazing work guys! This is better then TV.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you!

[@grantglow4206]

amazing work man, thanks for showing this!

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@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!

[@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.

[@MrMiryks]

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

[@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...

[@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...

[@turnerthemanc]

A great piece of work. Bravo!

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@Mine-Finder]

I love the smell of sulphuric acid in the morning.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@kanggatotchannel]

Great video 👍

[@RockyMtnGobblers]

Very interesting, thanks for posting

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Glad you found it interesting...

[@VASHXKALIBER]

Welcome to Sulfur Industries.

[@tarptent]

Looks so beautiful!

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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...

[@ogedeh]

Our history with sulfur is a fascinating one

[@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.

[@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...

[@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.

[@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?

[@AmbiAnts589]

Very interesting, thanks!

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@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...

[@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.

[@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.

[@DaKayH]

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

[@noelienoelie8425]

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

[@dirkdiggler1242]

Speechless

[@TVRExploring]

Pretty wild, huh?

[@ayina111]

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

[@DazModeWatercooling]

Thanks fir sharing!

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@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

[@chadi2402]

Very fascinating in many ways.

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you.

[@dustinjohnson3463]

They seem to be very friendly people

[@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.

[@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!

[@Dropbaud]

Wow, this is cool. I've seen some vents in the Philippines on video before but it wasn't as productive as this mine for sulfur. Did you run across any saltpeter mines while you where there also? Awesome videos btw!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, this was a pretty extraordinary site... I don't believe we came across any saltpeter mines, but there was one mine where I just absolutely could not figure out what they were mining.

[@Mm4riii]

wow.. just wow. I have no words

[@TVRExploring]

It's a hell of a place...

[@jaredfrazin7831]

Totally fascinating. So how did you approach the miners when you started recording? Have they ever seen a KZbin video?

[@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.

[@tonywalker8030]

This must be the time I thought the Mayans were invading.

[@adamlangdon2245]

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

[@heckels4765]

I ... have no words.

[@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!!

[@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.

[@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. ;)

[@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...

[@michaelhenderson9039]

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

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, they do.

[@RRaucina]

Where are the shoulder pads?

[@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.

[@jackking5567]

Fascinating. I've seen documentaries about the miners but this is definitely how it really is. Just staring at the lake of acid would be enough but those fumes? Damn that's hard labour. I liken the miners more to being chemical workers. I see modern refineries here in the UK but those men are literally working in the process. The smoking they do will give a little buzz. They know their lives will be short and so why not enjoy what time you have!

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you. Yes, I struggle to think of many environments on our planet more extreme than that one down in the crater... Interesting observation about the "miners" being more like chemical workers (you're right about that).. That's a good point about the potent cigarettes. I'm sure I would adopt a fatalistic attitude toward my health as well if I were in their circumstances...

[@sprungmonkey6inches]

is that a volcano the mine is in?

[@davebeckley2584]

You are the consummate documentarian for all things mining! This looked to be one of the tougher assignments. I know that overwhelming smell. I've been in bars with restrooms that emit that same vapor but not to the degree you exposed yourself too. And not a single ore cart track. After viewing mines in person and visiting them through your most excellent videos I often pitied the miners having to work in such extreme cold, heat, cramped, and dangerous conditions but none that exceed those gentlemen for a mere pittance. I wouldn't last an hour, even in my younger years. Extremely fascinating! Thank you for persevering. Oh, I meant to ask, you started out in daylight, walked in the dark, arrived in daylight. Did you walk all night or were you just receiving directions during the first daylight excursion?

[@TVRExploring]

Thank you as always for the great comment. Ha, indeed, this one took a bit more than usual... Yes, I agree that all miners are pretty tough - especially some of the old timers - but I think you're right in that it is pretty tough to top these sulfur miners when it comes to working in grim conditions. It's a hell of a lot to endure for not much more than $1 an hour. In response to your last question, we hiked all night. It took about 36 hours of no sleep to get up there and back down. I'm glad you found this video interesting as well. I wasn't sure how it would be received.

[@davebeckley2584]

I was absolutely fascinated with this mining operation. I'm still at a loss as to how the miners tolerate the vapors and the extreme effort necessary, I suppose if that's either the only work available or it pays better than most, even at $1 per hour, they just do it. And no one can say you don't have stamina. Impressive! I forgot to mention this before but I was quite taken with that gentleman's rendition of Gershwin's hit, 'I Got Rhythm' and to dance to it at that altitude, wow! He really was entertaining.

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it was a lot of effort to get up there, but I found the whole operation to be absolutely fascinating as well. It is indeed extraordinary that the miners cope with those extreme conditions every day... The video, of course, can't adequately capture it, but it was absolutely brutal in there. Sometimes the pain from the fumes would make people scream if they were in for too long. I was quite impressed with the friendliness and good spirits of the miners given the grueling work that they do.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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...

[@waynejohnting2954]

Amazing the things we will put our bodies thru

[@TVRExploring]

It is indeed extraordinary.

[@aaronkeeth651]

dude Justin, you are the shiznit

[@TVRExploring]

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

[@karmacut1943]

Some of them still can sing a song in that hell😂

[@vburke1]

Wow!

[@TVRExploring]

It's a hell of a place...

[@Sybok51288]

makes me feel grateful for what i have....

[@TVRExploring]

Yes, it does a pretty good job of placing things in perspective.

[@mikecarr1484]

Did you carry a load of sulfur up for them. (As a nice gesture).

[@TVRExploring]

I would have helped, but the language barrier was an issue. If I'd just grabbed a basket of sulfur and headed up, they probably would have thought I was stealing it.