Ijen plateau
located between 2 regency, Banyuwangi and Bondowoso Regency East Java province.
One of the attraction in ijen plateu are Ijen crater with the largest and acid
lake in the world. Not only the crater, there are many sulfur miner who work at
sulfur mining.
They are from Banyuwangi and some from Bondowoso.
Work as a miner is no choises for them. They star from their house in the
morning at 03:00, take a truck that carry sulfur, from Licin, Banyuwangi to
Paltuding ( starting point hiking ).
There are 300 person who work as miner in ijen
crater managed by PT
Candi Ngrimbi, they start walk from paltuding, starting point for
vistor to hiking. Walk about 2 hours to reach the crater, on the way they make
joke with other miners. Basket from bamboo is the equipment for them to carry
the miner, takke the sulfur from pipe than put it in the basket than caryy it
to Paltuding again. The miners can carry 2 time in one day. 35 – 100 kg can be
carried by the miner, 1 kg sulfur Rp 700, it means one day they get Rp 35.000
for 50 kg sulfur. Arrive in the first rest place the sulfur will be weight to
know how many kg. they will continue to base camp and sulfur will be brougth by
truck to production house. Sulfur cooked until melted and printed square.
Afterward the sulfur will be distribute to sugar factory in Pasuruan,
Banyuwangi and bondowoso to turn sugar to be white, sulfur also used for soap,
body lotion and other.