Kawah Ijen Volcano in East Java, Indonesia, is a place where miners work tirelessly to extract sulfur manually. Here, sulfur is known as “the Devil’s gold.” The extraction of “the Devil’s gold” is extremely dangerous, with some miners even losing their lives while working.
As one of the most unique places in the world, Kawah Ijen Volcano in East Java, Indonesia, is renowned for the extraction of “the Devil’s gold” (the Devil’s gold).
In fact, “the Devil’s gold” is the term used by Indonesians to refer to sulfur. This name comes from the yellow color of sulfur and the mining location.
Sulfur gas at the crater of Kawah Ijen is mined for sulfur.
The gas is transferred through a network of ceramic pipes. This allows the molten sulfur to condense.
Next, when the sulfur is poured into pipes leading to tanks on the ground, it will turn a bright yellow as it cools.
Miners break the cooled sulfur blocks and place them in baskets to take to the nearby refinery.
Miners break the cooled sulfur blocks and place them in baskets to take to the nearby refinery.
Moreover, miners work in an extremely dangerous and toxic environment. Due to long-term exposure to harmful chemicals, most miners working here do not live beyond the age of 40.
Miners often encounter respiratory issues from inhaling sulfuric gas while extracting “the Devil’s gold.”
Some miners have even died due to toxic gas suddenly released from the vents of the area with “the Devil’s gold.”
