Mining
WBS for Mining Projects: Complete 5-Level Example
July 15, 2026 · 8 min read · ⛏️
The 3 WBS Rules
100% rule
WBS must cover 100% of project scope — no more, no less.
Mutually exclusive
No work package appears in more than one WBS branch.
Deliverable-oriented
WBS describes deliverables, not activities or departments.
5-Level WBS Structure
1.0 COPPER MINE EXPANSION ($45M) ├─ 1.1 CIVIL WORKS │ ├─ 1.1.1 Earthworks │ │ ├─ 1.1.1.1 Excavation │ │ └─ 1.1.1.2 Backfill & compaction │ └─ 1.1.2 Foundations ├─ 1.2 PROCESS PLANT │ ├─ 1.2.1 Crushing circuit │ ├─ 1.2.2 Flotation cells │ └─ 1.2.3 Tailings system ├─ 1.3 INFRASTRUCTURE │ ├─ 1.3.1 Power supply (33kV line) │ ├─ 1.3.2 Water supply & HDPE │ └─ 1.3.3 Access roads ├─ 1.4 ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION └─ 1.5 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
CAPEX by Discipline with CPI
| Discipline | Budget | EV | AC | CPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Works | $12M | $5.4M | $5.8M | 0.93 |
| Process Plant | $18M | $7.2M | $7.0M | 1.03 |
| Infrastructure | $6M | $2.4M | $2.5M | 0.96 |
| E&I | $5M | $1.5M | $1.6M | 0.94 |
| PM | $4M | $2.0M | $1.9M | 1.05 |
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