DFARS 252.225-7052, Restriction on the Acquisition of Certain Magnets, Tantalum, and Tungsten, is a clause in Department of Defense contracts. For magnets, it applies to two types: neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) and samarium-cobalt (SmCo).
What changes on January 1, 2027
From January 1, 2027, DoD contracts can't include covered magnets whose material was mined, refined, separated, melted or produced in China, Russia, North Korea or Iran. That covers the whole chain, from the mine to the finished magnet, not just the last factory that shaped it.
That's the hard part for most suppliers. Your distributor may know where a motor or sensor was assembled. Few know where the rare-earth oxide in its magnet was separated.
What's not covered
- Ferrite and AlNiCo magnets aren't covered types. See Ferrite vs NdFeB.
- Several exceptions can apply to covered magnets:
It flows down
Primes flow the clause to subcontractors. If you sell parts or assemblies into DoD programs, expect your customers to ask what's in your parts and where it came from. Under Executive Order 14415, waivers from January 1, 2027 generally need an approved mitigation plan, and that requirement also flows down to every subcontractor tier.
Where Provenance Defense fits
We find which of your purchased parts contain covered magnets, sort out which are exempt and why, trace the rest back through the supply chain, and give you an evidence file. You make the compliance determination; we're not a law firm, a certifier or a government body.
This is general information about the rule, current as of the review date above. Check the clause text in your contract, and talk to your counsel about how it applies to you.