Al Buraimi Governorate
Al Buraimi hosts the UAE-Oman Al Rawdah Special Economic Zone and Block 11C copper exploration—positioned on $15.2B bilateral trade corridor where the Empty Quarter meets cross-border commerce.
Al Buraimi exists because the Empty Quarter meets traversable terrain here—the northwestern corner of Oman where ancient caravan routes from the interior connected to the UAE's Al Ain oasis. Colonial-era boundary drawing divided what had been continuous tribal territory, but geography ensures cross-border economic flows persist. Non-oil trade between Oman and the UAE reached a record $15.2 billion in 2024, up 9.8% year-on-year.
The Al Rawdah Special Economic Zone represents the latest evolution of this border logic: a joint UAE-Oman venture in Mahadha wilayat, developed by DP World through the Mahadha Development Company. The zone positions Al Buraimi as a trade and industrial corridor linking Oman's interior to Dubai's logistics networks.
Copper deposits in Al Buraimi's ophiolitic rock formations connect the governorate to Vision 2040's mining diversification. Block 11C—a 1,089 km² concession—hosts copper and chrome deposits, with Gulf Mining Materials Company investing $4 million in initial exploration. The Tiwi Al Obaila site preserves evidence that copper ore was extracted and smelted here in ancient times, suggesting continuity between Bronze Age mining and 21st-century resource development.
Oman holds approximately 51 million tonnes of copper ore reserves, with the Al Ghuzayn project achieving first production in Q2 2024 at 20,000 tonnes annual capacity. Al Buraimi's potential lies in whether exploration converts to extraction.
By 2026, Al Buraimi's trajectory depends on whether the Al Rawdah zone and mining exploration translate into sustained economic diversification beyond transit trade.