Technology & Innovation (T&I) consists of a central team of technology professionals and a number of technology centres that develop leading practice and promote improvements in mining, processing, asset management, strategic production planning, energy use, and project development, execution and evaluation. Emphasis is given to shared and visible measures of operational effectiveness, the improvement of analytical tools and development of staff capabilities.

Most work is focused on improving current technologies and operations. In addition, the Innovation Centre focuses on technology step changes that will confer competitive advantage in development of orebodies likely to be available to the Group in the future. The Energy & Climate Strategy Centre focuses on improving the Group’s use of energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and understanding the effects of climate change on the Group’s operations and prospects.

The total number of employees in T&I at year end was 267 compared with 351 at year end 2008. As a result of the global downturn T&I has focused staff on delivery of the most value accretive opportunities.