CyanoSmart · Project

Real-Time Cyanide Monitoring That Cuts Gold Mining Costs and Boosts Recovery

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7

Gold mines use cyanide to dissolve gold out of crushed rock, but without knowing exactly how much cyanide is in the mix at any moment, they waste huge amounts of chemicals and lose gold they could have recovered. CyanoSmart is basically a handheld scanner — think of a breathalyzer but for cyanide — that mine operators carry around and test anywhere on site in seconds. The readings sync to the cloud so managers can watch cyanide levels across the entire operation in real time, like checking a weather app. With that data, mines can dial in their process, use less cyanide, recover more gold, and cut pollution all at once.

By the numbers

$5B

Recoverable gold lost by mines each year due to poor process control

70%

Share of total processing costs that cyanide often exceeds

Total project deliverables produced

Prototype deliverable — CyanoSmart 2

The business problem

What needed solving

Gold mines worldwide lose $5B in recoverable gold every year because they cannot monitor and control cyanide levels in real time. Cyanide is the most important chemical in gold extraction, and its costs often exceed 70% of total processing expenses. Without instant, on-site measurement, operators overdose or underdose cyanide — wasting money and leaving gold in the waste stream.

The solution

What was built

The project built a second-generation prototype of CyanoSmart — a handheld IoT device that uses single-use test cartridges and a patented molecule with an AI-based measurement algorithm to detect cyanide on-site. It connects to the Cyano.AI cloud platform for real-time visualization of cyanide levels across mine operations. The project produced 15 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Gold mining companies struggling with cyanide dosing and gold recovery ratesChemical suppliers serving the mining industry looking to add monitoring servicesEnvironmental compliance officers at mining operationsMine process engineers responsible for extraction optimizationMining technology integrators and equipment distributors

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Gold mining

any

Target: Gold mining operators and processing plants

If you are a gold mining company dealing with unpredictable cyanide levels and losing recoverable gold — this project developed a handheld IoT device with single-use cartridges that measures cyanide on the spot and streams data to a cloud dashboard. The industry loses $5B in recoverable gold each year due to poor process control, and cyanide costs often exceed 70% of total processing costs. Real-time monitoring lets you optimize dosing, recover more gold, and cut your biggest cost line.

Chemical process monitoring

mid-size

Target: Industrial chemical suppliers and process optimization firms

If you are a chemical supplier or process consultant serving mining clients — this project built a cloud-connected monitoring platform (Cyano.AI) that gives your customers real-time visibility into cyanide consumption. Instead of relying on delayed lab results, operators get instant readings from a mobile device with patented AI-based measurement. This creates an opportunity to bundle monitoring-as-a-service with your chemical supply contracts.

Environmental compliance and mining services

SME

Target: Environmental monitoring and mine waste management companies

If you are an environmental services firm helping mines meet discharge and safety regulations — this project developed reliable cyanide detection that works where other technologies regularly fail. Cyanide is one of the most tightly regulated substances in mining. Having continuous, reproducible measurement data from a connected device makes compliance reporting faster, audit-ready, and less prone to human error.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this technology cost compared to current cyanide testing methods?

The project data does not include specific pricing. CyanoSmart uses a handheld device with single-use test cartridges plus a cloud subscription (Cyano.AI). Based on available project data, the business model combines hardware sales with consumable cartridges and cloud data services. Contact the company through their website for current pricing.

Can this scale to large mining operations with multiple test points?

Yes. The system is designed as a mobile, IoT-connected device — multiple operators can carry handhelds across different locations in the mine and all data feeds into one cloud dashboard in real time. The objective explicitly targets scaling CyanoSmart for the entire gold mining industry. The CyanoSmart 2 prototype was built during this project to advance that goal.

What is the IP situation — is this patented technology?

Yes. The objective states CyanoSmart uses a patented molecule and AI-based measurement algorithm. The IP is held by Cyanoguard AG, a Swiss SME. Any licensing or integration would need to go through them directly.

How reliable is this compared to existing cyanide monitoring?

The project objective claims the patented technology provides reliable, reproducible results where other technologies regularly fail. The measurement combines a proprietary chemical molecule with an AI-based algorithm, designed specifically for the harsh conditions in gold processing plants. A second-generation prototype (CyanoSmart 2) was built during the project to improve on the first version.

What is the timeline from first contact to deployment?

The project ran from November 2019 to April 2022 and produced a working prototype (CyanoSmart 2) among 15 deliverables. Based on available project data, the company appears to be at or near commercial stage given its active product website. Deployment timelines would depend on mine-specific integration requirements.

Does this help with environmental regulations?

Yes. The objective highlights that real-time cyanide monitoring helps mines minimise their environmental footprint and contributes to UN SDG goal 12 (responsible consumption and production). Continuous, data-logged cyanide measurements directly support regulatory compliance and environmental reporting obligations.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a single-company project: Cyanoguard AG, a Swiss SME that is both the sole partner and coordinator. The 100% industry composition with no university or research institute involvement signals that the technology was already past the basic research stage when the project began. The company used EU SME Instrument funding to advance an existing product to its second generation. For a potential business partner, this means you are dealing directly with the technology owner and decision-maker — no complex consortium politics or split IP to navigate.

CYANOGUARD AGCoordinator · CH

How to reach the team

Cyanoguard AG is a Swiss SME — contact through their website or SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction

Order a report on this consortium See CYANOGUARD AG profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the Cyanoguard team and provide a detailed technology brief tailored to your specific mining or process monitoring needs.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0