White Island Volcano Sulphur Mining Machinery New Zealand
Photo & Vacation Spot

The sulphur mining machinery corroding on the White Island volcano in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand with the crater steaming in the background.

While visiting White Island, an active volcano in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, tourists can hike across the volcanic landscape where the old sulphur mine once was. Old ruins of the machinery used in sulphur mining is scattered across the landscape which was used between 1898-1901, 1913-1914 and then again in 1923 ending in the 1930's.

In 1914, ten workers had their lives taken as the western crater on White Island was destroyed creating a large mudflow. When the mining began again in 1923, there was limited amounts of sulphur and mining ceased with the machinery being left behind.

In the backdrop, the steam rises from a crater and every year that passes, the machinery becomes corroded as the sulphuric gases which rise from the crater blanket all the ancient sulphur mining equipment.

Abandoned machinery at the old Sulphur Mine on White Island, an active volcano, Bay of Plenty, East Coast North Island, New Zealand.