A day in the life of sulfur miners in a volcanic environment

Manual sulfur mining counts as one of the most hazardous jobs in the world. Even though over 98% of the world's sulfur is obtained through modern oil and gas refining processes, this old-fashioned practice continues unabated on a group of composite volcanic mountains located on the eastern end of Java province in Indonesia. Volcanic sulfur mining in the mountains of Kawah Ijen employs over 250 experienced workers like Hassan here, whose working day must begin in the middle of the night. Hassan wakes up at about 2 a.m., packs his lunch, and gets ready for the long journey to the border of the province, far from the residential quarters. Hassan carries enough food and water to sustain him through the challenging day ahead. Kawah Ijen sulfur miners risk their lives working as independent contractors for big mining companies with little or no benefits outside of their daily earnings. Without the luxury of any organized transportation facilities, Hassan and the other miners use their private motorcycles to cover the distance to work. Hassan will leave his motorcycle at the foot of the mountain and walk the rest of the way up the steep slopes, a gruesome two-mile climb. This group of composite volcanoes last witnessed a massive eruption in 1999, and the area remains almost completely deserted. But for people like Hassan, these scary mountains have been a source of livelihood and sustenance for over three decades. Hassan makes brief stops to admire the scenery and rests a while to preserve energy for the hard work awaiting him. Reaching the top of the mountain, Hassan will pick up his basket and begin another tough journey. Down into the belly of the mountain, through the crater opening. Here lies the center stage of the volcanic sulfur miner's job, the very heart of Kawah Ijen volcanic sulfur mining. A workspace surrounded by loose rocks, burning craters, and one of the world's most toxic acidic lakes ever. Volcanic sulfur forms when the extremely hot smoke from within the mountain condenses as it comes into contact with the cooler air outside. The resultant condensation produces a dripping red liquid that gradually turns yellow as it cools off. Because of this outstanding color mix, the hardened sulfur blocks are commonly referred to as the devil's gold. This is where Hassan will spend hours of intense manual labor, chipping away at the hardened sulfur deposits with a crowbar. The air around him is filled with insanely toxic smoke coming from deep within the volcano and from the lake just a few feet away. But why will people risk their lives working at a job where the average life expectancy hardly exceeds 50 years? Well, the average sulfur miner in Ijen makes $17 on the best of days, and sometimes as little as $5 when things get really tough. But to the miners, this is way more lucrative than farming and other menial alternatives. Above all, they get paid fast, without having to wait till the end of the month for a salary. The next item on Hassan's agenda will be the hardest of all. Transporting about 150 pounds of sulfur on his shoulders back up the slopes to the weighing station at the top of the crater. Tripping and falling must be avoided at all costs. Hassan is happy to make it to the top without incident. I don't know how to do that anymore. I don't know how to do that anymore. And like every one of us, lunchtime is a cherished part of Hassan's working day. With replenished energy, he makes another journey down the crater and returns with a full basket. In the past, there used to be up to 400 of them. Now, most of them are gone. Only a few are left, about 50. It's still the 1990s. The hardest part is the smoke. Volcanic sulfur miners start their day so early because temperatures in the afternoons sometimes reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit while increasing winds spread the pungent sulfur smell all over the mining site. Lacking the protective clothing to survive these dangers, Miners must now vacate the deep crater. Hassan loads up his entire day's sulfur into his pushcart, ready for the weighing station, where his payment will be processed. The miner heads home with a happy smile. It's been a good day for him and his family. Younger and stronger miners can load up to 200 pounds of sulfur, which will fetch them anywhere from $5 to $9. These miners earn so little compared to the dozens of essential items their work will make available for humanity. My income in the past six months was 60 kg, 1,250 rupiahs per week. That's for myself. In one week, I got 300 rupiahs per month. It used to be hard, it was tight back then. Now it's good. Yes, it's hard to work together. That's what makes this road. From fertilizers, lead-acid batteries, explosives, and bullets, to matches, cement, glass, insecticides, and even the sparkle in our white sugar, the list is endless. Some creative people also use the devil's gold to make beautiful handcrafted artifacts, which they sell to numerous tourists who frequently visit the complex. Hassan will engage in other domestic activities. Some quality time with the family will be the last item on his agenda. And as the sun sets over East Java province, the sulfur miner is fully prepared to start another working day in the middle of the night. That's the end of this video. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to subscribe to this channel so you don't miss any of our new content. See you next time.