CiDRA

What CiDRA does

CiDRA Minerals Processing is a privately held US-based process optimization company headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut. Founded in 1996, CiDRA develops and commercializes hardware-based measurement and separation technologies used by mining and mineral processing operators. Its product portfolio is anchored on three proprietary technology lines: SONARtrac passive-sonar flow meters for slurry pipelines, CYCLONEtrac real-time particle size sensors for hydrocyclones, and P29 engineered hydrophobic media for selective mineral separation. Together these systems allow operators to measure and control grinding, classification, and recovery circuits in real time rather than relying on offline sampling.

The company monetizes through engineered-to-order enterprise sales of hardware systems, accompanied by site-specific Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies, installation, commissioning, and ongoing service. Pricing is quote-based and per-site, consistent with the large average contract values typical of mining capital equipment. CiDRA sells primarily to global mining majors and mid-tier operators, with named customers including OZ Minerals (Carrapateena copper-gold operation in Australia) and Rio Tinto (Kennecott). The commercial footprint extends to 718 mine sites across 73 countries. Go-to-market is a direct enterprise field-sales model, supplemented from 2025 onward by a strategic collaboration with mining-equipment OEM Weir Group, which provides global channel distribution. The company employs between 251 and 500 people.

In January 2021, the company spun out its concrete-systems business as CiDRA Concrete Systems with a strategic investment from Sika AG, allowing the parent to focus engineering and capital on minerals processing. CiDRA's underlying technology stack is hardware- and chemistry-centric — relying on acoustic physics, signal processing, and proprietary formulations — and the company has not disclosed material AI or machine-learning capabilities within its product lines.

Name

CiDRA

Legal name

CiDRA Minerals Processing Inc.

Website

https://cidra.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CiDRA Minerals Processing provides hardware-based mineral processing optimization technologies — SONARtrac flow meters, CYCLONEtrac particle size sensors, and P29 engineered hydrophobic media — serving global mining operators across 718 sites in 73 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining Process Optimization Equipment

NAICS

Mining Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333131), Mining and Oil and Gas Field Machinery Manufacturing (33313)

SIC

Mining Machinery & Equip (No Oil & Gas Field Mach & Equip) (3532), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530)

akta.pro primary industry

Mining Automation, Telematics & Fleet Management Systems (IMAKANAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sizing & Classification (Screening, Cyclones & Air Classification) (IMAKALAB)

Keywords

• Mineral processing equipment
• Sonar flow measurement
• Particle size tracking
• Grind circuit optimization
• Hydrophobic mineral separation

Headquarters

HQ city

Wallingford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware and Instrumentation Systems: Sale of proprietary measurement hardware including SONARtrac flow meters, CYCLONEtrac particle size tracking systems, and associated sensors and transmitters. Non-contact design allows installation on existing process lines without process downtime.
2. P29 Mineral Separation Technology Licensing and Deployment: Deployment of P29 technology at mine sites through FEED studies, demonstration plants, and full-scale implementation. Revenue derived from technology licensing, engineering services, and equipment supply for mineral separation applications.
3. Subscription-Based Data Services: Cloud-based data subscription services delivering real-time measurement data (applicable to spun-out CiDRA Concrete Systems business).
4. Engineering and Technical Services: Front end engineering and design (FEED) services, commissioning, and technical support services for technology deployment at mine sites.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CiDRA designs, manufactures, and services proprietary hardware and process technologies for the global mining industry. Its core offerings are non-contact SONARtrac passive sonar flow and entrained air meters, CYCLONEtrac real-time individual hydrocyclone particle size tracking systems, and the P29 engineered hydrophobic media platform for coarse mineral separation (deployed as Grind Circuit Rougher or Rougher Pre-Cleaner applications). Products are sold to mining operators worldwide alongside FEED studies, commissioning, and technical services.

Product overview

CiDRA Minerals Processing offers a portfolio of hardware-based mineral processing optimization technologies. The core portfolio includes: (1) SONARtrac family of non-contact sonar-based flow and entrained air measurement systems (VF/GVF-200 digital, VF-50, PW VF-100, VF/GVF-100, HD VF/GVF-100) for volumetric flow measurement in mining slurries; (2) CYCLONEtrac classification optimization systems (PST for particle size tracking and OSM for oversize monitoring) providing real-time individual cyclone control; and (3) P29 Technology, a novel mineral separation platform using engineered hydrophobic media for coarse particle recovery up to 3mm, deployed as Grind Circuit Rougher or Rougher Pre-Cleaner applications. The company serves over 718 mine sites in 73 countries with measurement and control solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SONARtrac VF/GVF-200 (Digital) Digital sonar-based non-contact flow and entrained air measurement system providing 1% accuracy for volumetric flow in slurries and liquids using passive sonar array processing. Targeted at mining and heavy industrial process operators.
• SONARtrac VF-50 Non-contact passive sonar flow meter designed for municipal water and wastewater applications including influent water, sludge lines, and RAS/WAS monitoring. Works regardless of pipe material or process fluid.
• SONARtrac PW VF-100 Lower-cost sonar-based flow measurement solution for process water applications. Non-contact design installs on existing process lines without process downtime.
• SONARtrac VF/GVF-100 Patented passive sonar flow meter providing dual measurement of volumetric flow and gas void fraction in slurries and liquids, enabling true phase fraction management for process efficiency improvements.
• SONARtrac HD VF/GVF-100 High-dispersion version of the VF/GVF-100 designed for difficult slurries with varying velocities and densities, recommended for middlings slurries with greater than 30% solids.
• CYCLONEtrac PST (Particle Size Tracking) Real-time particle size measurement and tracking system for individual hydrocyclones, reporting particle sizes every 4 seconds to enable micro control strategy at the cyclone level and closed-loop automated grind circuit control.
• CYCLONEtrac OSM (Oversize Monitoring System) Oversize monitoring system for hydrocyclone operations that detects and tracks oversized particles to prevent downstream processing issues, complementing the CYCLONEtrac PST system.
• P29 Technology Novel mineral separation platform using proprietary engineered hydrophobic polymer matrix that replaces air bubbles in traditional froth flotation, enabling recovery of minerals up to 3mm with high upgrade ratio and low mass yield.
• P29 Grind Circuit Rougher Application Application of P29 technology that removes coarse material from grind circuit circulating loads, enabling increased plant throughput without increasing total power consumption; achieves approximately 20% reduction in energy per unit ton and 40% increase in throughput at deployed sites.
• P29 Rougher Pre-Cleaner Application Application of P29 technology enabling mines to attain maximum recoveries from rougher flotation circuits, reducing rougher mass recovery by approximately 50% while maintaining 90%+ recoveries and protecting regrind and cleaner circuits.
• SANDtrac Velocity Profile Service Velocity profile measurement service for dredging and slurry transport applications, providing non-contact sonar-based profiling for industrial operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% increase in plant throughput through P29 Grind Circuit Rougher application
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• The Weir Group PLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2025Weir Group PLC, a leading engineering and mining technology company headquartered in Scotland (founded 1871), made a strategic investment in CiDRA and signed a global collaboration agreement to commercialize and deploy CiDRA's P29 technology. The partnership combines CiDRA's innovation with Weir's extensive customer-centric global footprint (c.12,000 employees, 50+ countries, every major mining region). They will jointly develop and deliver cutting-edge mineral processing flowsheets that combine increased throughput with high-efficiency comminution and mineral separation solutions. Weir Group is listed on London Stock Exchange (WEIR LN).
• Worley Ltd.supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 11 April 2023Worley Ltd., a global professional services company headquartered in Australia (ASX: WOR), provides front end engineering design (FEED) services for the P29 technology deployment at OZ Minerals' Carrapateena mine. FEED services are executed by Worley teams in Adelaide, Calgary, and on secondment to CiDRA's Wallingford, CT facility. This follows the pre-FEED phase Worley completed for the project.
• OZ Minerals LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2022OZ Minerals, an Australian mining company, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with CiDRA to commission a FEED study for implementation of CiDRA's proprietary mineral separation technology as a grind circuit rougher at the Carrapateena mine site in South Australia. A demonstration plant was deployed to increase technology readiness level (TRL) for commercial scale implementation. Goals include increasing plant throughput, recovery, and net metal production at reduced specific energy consumption.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Metso: Global leader in mining and aggregate processing equipment, including comminution, classification, and flotation technologies that directly overlap with CiDRA's SONARtrac, CYCLONEtrac, and P29 offerings. Competes head-to-head in mineral processing flowsheet design for copper, iron ore, and gold operations.
• FLSmidth: Major supplier of mining and cement process equipment with strong positions in flotation, thickening, and material handling. Directly competes with CiDRA's mineral separation and process optimization portfolio, particularly in copper and base metal concentrators globally.
• ANDRITZ: Provides solid-liquid separation, mineral processing, and feed technology for mining and metals. Competes with CiDRA in process equipment supply for concentrators, particularly in thickening, dewatering, and separation.
• Eriez: Specialist in magnetic separation, flotation, and material handling equipment for mining and minerals processing. Comparable to CiDRA in mid-sized specialized mineral separation and process equipment sold to mining operators.
• Derrick Corporation: Leading manufacturer of fine screening and classification equipment for mining, particularly in hydrocyclone and dewatering applications. Closest direct comparable to CiDRA's CYCLONEtrac particle size tracking product family.
• TOMRA: Sensor-based sorting and separation technology provider for mining and recycling. Comparable to CiDRA in deploying advanced physical separation technologies that displace traditional mineral processing methods.
• Multotec: South African-headquartered mineral processing equipment specialist serving mining operations across Africa, Australasia, and the Americas. Provides screening, cycloning, and flotation consumables comparable to the categories CiDRA targets with CYCLONEtrac and P29.

Broad incumbents

• The Weir Group: Strategic investor and global commercialization partner of CiDRA, and also a direct competitor in comminution (crushers, mills) and mineral processing equipment. As Weir now both sells competing grinding technology and distributes CiDRA's P29, it straddles incumbent and partner roles.
• Siemens (Mining): Industrial automation and digitalization major with a mining vertical offering process control, electrification, and digital twin solutions. Broader portfolio than CiDRA but overlaps in mining process optimization and automation for mineral processing plants.
• ABB: Global automation and process control company with mining industry solutions covering drives, instrumentation, and plant-wide optimization. Competes indirectly with CiDRA's SONARtrac and CYCLONEtrac as part of broader mineral processing automation stacks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance20 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CiDRA