Kawah Ijen Sulphur Mine

• Photographer
  nicolas metraux, Switzerland
• Studio
  BM-photo
• Website
  http://www.bm-photo.ch

Kawah Ijen Volcano, East Java, Indonesia.
Workers come here to extract pure sulfur blocks in extremely difficult conditions. Their daily income is about 5 USD. Without any effective protection, they inhale toxic fumes of sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrochloric acid. These fumes attack the lungs and mucous membranes : their life expectancy is considerably reduced.
Sulfur is used for vulcanizing rubber, bleaching sugar and other industrial processes.