From January 1, 2027, DFARS 252.225-7052 stops asking only where a magnet was melted and starts asking where every input was mined. For defense subcontractors, that shift turns a narrow melt certificate into a full mine-to-magnet evidence chain, and an unsupported provenance claim can now carry False Claims Act exposure, contract termination risk, and the operational cost of re-sourcing under long lead times. Routine waivers also tighten under Executive Order 14415, which generally requires a Department of War-approved mitigation plan, so the ability to prove origin rather than rely on relief becomes the real audit-readiness test. This analysis of DFARS 252.225-7052 compliance breaks down exactly what changes at the 2027 deadline, which five covered materials fall in scope, and how NdFeB magnet traceability, tantalum, and tungsten origin documentation each differ. It maps the documents that actually carry the proof and what to do when a supplier cannot confirm origin. For clause
