- Region: East Java
- Form: Stratovolcano
- Height of the peak: 2803 m
- Diameter of the crater: 1000 m
- Depth of the crater: 200 m
- The last eruption: 2002.
The volcano of Kawah Ijen is located in Indonesia , in the eastern part of the island of Java . It belongs to a group of small volcanoes , located by a ridge near the large sulfur lake of Kawah Ijen. Its depth reaches 200 m, and in diameter it is almost 1 km.
Kawah Ijen - volcano with blue lava
The highlight of the volcano Kawah Ijen, which attracts tourists, journalists and photographers, is the mystery of the blue flame. It is clearly visible only at night, since often the glow is rather weak. In the afternoon, poisonous fumes hang over a crater filled with sulfuric acid. And at night you can admire the unreal beauty of the spectacle: how the blue lava spreads on the shores of the lake, throwing up fountains up to 5 m high.
In the Kava Ijen volcano, the blue color of lava, which is clearly visible in the photo, arises from the combustion of sulfur dioxide, when sulfuric acid is poured from the lake. Sulfur emissions from the crater continue constantly, and upon ignition the gas begins to glow with blue or blue light.
The Danger of Kawah Ijen for the Island of Java
A unique lake, filled with sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, is not only a natural object attracting tourists to Java, but also a real danger for the inhabitants of the island. The volcano of Kawah Ijen is constantly active, magmatic movements occur in it, due to which gases are emitted to the surface with a temperature of up to 600 ° C. They set fire to the sulfur in the lake, which causes the cosmic effect of the flowing streams of blue lava.
The volcano and its activity are constantly observed by scientists. They fix any movements of the earth's crust, changes in the volume or composition of the lake, the movement of magma. At the beginning of even a small eruption of the Ijen volcano, the acid lake that has spilled out of the crater's borders will burn everything in its path. Scientists, of course, will not be able to protect 12,000 inhabitants living on the slopes of the volcano and in the nearest territory. They hope to notice in time the increased danger in time to declare the evacuation.
Extraction of Pure Sulfur in Indonesia by Kawah Ijen
On the shores of the lake, local workers extract 100 kg of pure sulfur per day each. To do this, they do not need special equipment: enough shovels, crowbars and baskets, in which they take their prey from the crater. Unfortunately, they can not afford to purchase full-fledged protective equipment, such as respirators or gas masks. They have to constantly breathe poisonous sulfur vapor, which causes a lot of diseases. Few workers live up to 45-50 years.
Local sulfur is highly valued in the Indonesian market, used in industry and vulcanization of rubber. The price of sulfur is about $ 0.05 per 1 kg, its amount in the lake is practically unlimited, as it constantly grows on the banks anew.
Climbing on Kawah Ijen
The ascent to the Kawah Ijen mountain of 2400 m high is fairly simple and will take you from 1.5 to 2 hours. It is best to plan it in the dark, so that you can see the beauty of the luminous lava. For the safety of tourists organized group tours with guides, you can also take a private conductor.
To protect the respiratory organs from sulfur vapors, it is necessary to buy special respirators with several protection systems. In them you can stay near the lake for a long time without harm to health.
How do I get to Ijen Volcano?
Ijen volcano on the map:
You can get to Kawah Ijen from the island of Bali with an organized excursion . First you will reach the ferry to Fr. Java. Then in small minibuses you will be taken to the lower parking lot. It already starts climbing with professional guides. Without them, going down to the lake is too dangerous.