The Ijen volcano complex is a group of stratovolcanoes in the Banyuwangi Regency of East Java, Indonesia. It is inside a larger caldera Ijen, which is about 20 kilometers wide. The Gunung Merapi stratovolcano is the highest point of that complex. The name "Gunung Merapi" means "mountain of fire" in the Indonesian language (api being "fire");

West of Gunung Merapi is the Ijen volcano, which has a one-kilometer-wide turquoise-colored acidic crater lake. The lake is the site of a labor-intensive sulfur mining operation, in which sulfur-laden baskets are carried by hand from the crater floor.

Many other post-caldera cones and craters are located within the caldera or along its rim. The largest concentration of post-caldera cones run east-west across the southern side of the caldera. The active crater at Kawah Ijen has a diameter of 722 metres (2,369 ft) and a surface area of 0.41 square kilometres (0.16 sq mi). It is 200 metres (660 ft) deep and has a volume of 36 cubic hectometres (29,000 acre·ft).

The lake is recognised as the largest highly acidic crater lake in the world. It is also a source for the river Banyupahit, resulting in highly acidic and metal-enriched river water which has a significant detrimental effect on the downstream river ecosystem. In 2008, explorer George Kourounis took a small rubber boat out onto the acid lake to measure its acidity. The pH of the water in the crater was measured to be 0.5 due to sulfuric acid.

Blue Fire Crater
Since National Geographic mentioned the electric-blue flame of Ijen, tourist numbers increased.[citation needed] The phenomenon has occurred for a long time, but beforehand there was no midnight hiking. A two-hour hike is required to reach the rim of the crater, followed by a 45-minute hike down to the bank of the crater. The blue fire is ignited sulphuric gas, which emerges from cracks at temperatures up to 600 degrees Celsius (1,112 degrees Fahrenheit).

The flames can be up to 5 meters (16 feet) high; some of the gas condenses to liquid and is still ignited. It is the largest blue flame area in the world and local people refer to it as 'Blue Fire'

Sulfur mining at Ijen
An active vent at the edge of the lake is a source of elemental sulfur, and supports a mining operation. Escaping volcanic gases are channelled through a network of ceramic pipes, resulting in condensation of molten sulfur. The sulfur, which is deep red in color when molten, pours slowly from the ends of these pipes and pools on the ground, turning bright yellow as it cools. The miners break the cooled material into large pieces and carry it away in baskets. Miners carry loads ranging from 75 kilograms (165 lb) to 90 kilograms (200 lb), up 300 metres (980 ft) to the crater rim, with a gradient of 45 to 60 degrees and then 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) down the mountain for weighing. Most miners make this journey twice a day. A nearby sugar refinery pays the miners by the weight of sulfur transported; as of September 2010, the typical daily earnings were equivalent to approximately $13 US. The miners often receive insufficient protection while working around the volcano and complain of numerous respiratory afflictions. There are 200 miners, who extract 14 tons per day - about 20 percent of the continuous daily deposit.

KAWAH IJEN BLUE FIRE TOUR
Our driver will pick you up from your hotel in Banyuwangi area or Train Station then go to the village of Licin and then continue to the slope of Mount Ijen by 4 WD Vehicle car, this journey takes approximately 1 hour from Banyuwangi city area by 4 WD Vehicle. Arriving at the parking area of Mount Ijen. Approximately 1 until 1.5 hours will be required to ascend slope of mount Ijen to reach peak of Ijen Crater and along the path, You will enjoy the stunning natural scenery with fresh air & shady. Resting on the edge of the crater at an altitude of 2883 meters and enjoy best panorama of the lake of sulphate where reflects spectacular view in the surrounding walls to give the impression like doom. The sulfur mining workers go down into the crater and climb back up by passing dangerous path on the edge of Ijen Crater with the load as much as 80 kilograms on their shoulders. this is really dangerous job. Here also, You will enjoy the beautiful scenery in the crater of Ijen as one of God’s amazing creation. After You enjoyed the natural scenery at Crater of Ijen and then descend the slope of Mount Ijen until vehicles parking area where our vehicle is waiting for then escort you back to the City of Banyuwangi or to your original hotel in Banyuwangi area or Ketapang Harbour.

For Information:
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Email: info.tourbanyuwangi@gmail.com
Mobile phone: +62 811 341 1712

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