The Sulphur Mine in Ikariam
You can find the sulphur mine on sulphur islands. There you can hire workers and mine sulphur once you have completed the Prosperity (Economy) research.
Sulphur is one of the four luxury raw materials in Ikariam, alongside wine, marble and crystal glass. Each island has a luxury raw material source that is expanded together by all players on the island through donations of building materials.
You can access the source via the sulphur mine icon on the island map. There you use the slider to set how many citizens should mine sulphur. The expansion level determines how many workers can produce at the same time.
What is Sulphur Used For?
- For training military units (exceptions: Cook, Doctor, Battering Ram, Spear Bearer, Stone Slinger)
- For the production of warships (exception: Submarine)
- For the expansion of the Palace and the Governor's Residence
- For the construction and expansion levels of various buildings and the city wall
Optimising Production: Alchemist's Tower and Fireworks Display
Using an Alchemist's Tower can increase sulphur mining. This production-boosting building becomes available once you have researched Improved Raw Material Mining (Economy).
With the Fireworks Display, you can reduce sulphur costs for buildings. The requirement for this is the Pyrotechnics (Military) research.
Sulphur Mine Expansion Levels
With each expansion level, the maximum number of workers in the sulphur mine increases. The expansion is financed together with the other players on the island through donations of wood.
| Level | Max. Workers | Wood | Expansion Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | 1.303 | — |
| 2 | 32 | 2.689 | 50m 24s |
| 3 | 48 | 4.373 | 1h 19m |
| 4 | 66 | 7.421 | 1h 51m |
| 5 | 88 | 10.037 | 2h 26m |
| 6 | 110 | 13.333 | 3h 5m |
| 7 | 132 | 20.665 | 3h 47m |
| 8 | 158 | 26.849 | 4h 34m |
| 9 | 184 | 37.305 | 5h 25m |
| 10 | 212 | 47.879 | 6h 22m |
| 15 | 366 | 193.512 | 12h 42m |
| 20 | 542 | 552.058 | 22h 54m |
| 25 | 736 | 1.855.942 | 1d 15h |
| 30 | 946 | 6.199.765 | 2d 17h |
| 35 | 1.172 | 21.576.366 | 4d 12h |
| 38 | 1.314 | 45.043.166 | 6d 1h |
Sulphur for Military Units
Sulphur is needed for almost all units and warships. An example is the Musketeer, a human ranged fighter that requires a Barracks (Level 13) and the Gunpowder research.
- Cost: 45 Wood, 150 Sulphur, 1 Citizen
- Maintenance per hour: 3
- Training time: 10m
- Equipment: Bayonet (Melee, Damage 3) and Musket (Ranged, Damage 29, 3 Shots)
Frequently Asked Questions About the Sulphur Mine
Which research unlocks the sulphur mine?
Sulphur can be mined once Prosperity (Economy) has been researched. Only then are luxury raw materials available.
Which units do not require sulphur?
The exceptions are Cook, Doctor, Battering Ram, Spear Bearer and Stone Slinger. For warships, the Submarine is the exception.
How is the sulphur mine expanded?
The source is expanded together by all players on the island through donations of building materials (wood). The donation menu can be found on the left side of the sulphur mine page.