# DoW to Extend Rare-Earth Restrictions

Effective **January 1, 2027**, DFARS restrictions are scheduled to cover not only where rare-earth magnets and tungsten are melted or produced, but also where the materials are mined, refined, and separated. The signal warns that U.S. and allied separation capacity may not meet demand by the deadline, creating sourcing, compliance, and continuity risks for defense suppliers; noncompliance may lead to liability or contract termination. With 55 days until the effective date, contractors should map these upstream stages across their supply chains and identify any sourcing gaps affecting covered materials.

- Defense contractors must account for mining, refining, and separation origins—not only final production—in their sourcing and compliance reviews.
- Companies dependent on supply chains without verified compliant sources face potential delivery interruptions, liability, or contract termination.
- Procurement and supply-chain teams should engage suppliers now to establish material origin and assess whether U.S. or allied sources can meet their needs before January 1, 2027.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 06, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of War (DoW)

### Sources
- [US rare earth supply chain eyes 2027 defence procurement deadline](https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/us-rare-earth-supply-chain-faces-tight-2027-defence-procurement-deadline) - Benchmark Mineral Intelligence