Catts: Please let us know if your question wasn't answered (I think it was, but I want to make sure).
Lack of documentation: Yep, docs need and will get attention. Suggestions welcome. I'd also say "contributions welcome", but things will change in the next release (which, as mentioned, won't be until the next version of DF).
Those of you who've looked through the raws: Do you find the notes I've written helpful? Would you like me to add anything else or cut down anywhere?
Nobody1225: Thanks for the list! A point not covered is the varying labor requirements to make metals: iron and steel are labor-intensive, athamadagi and patterned (wootz) steel are highly labor-intensive, but bronze and meteoric iron can be made quickly and easily ... with the right ores.
Blocks required for gold amalgamation: blocks are also requested to increase the labor required. Gold amalgamation is time-consuming. The import thing was because I got tired of being part of civs that could trade blocks of X, but not raw ore of X. Was really frustrating.
some thoughts after using the mod some time...
Mirrorsteel is too easy to get by using dwarven caravans for the chromium and molybdenum... I'm not sure this is _bad_, particularly, but the quality should probably be reduced.
Similarly, even if you have ore for the fancier stuff on the map you can get more supply of it by ordering from caravans. The map doesn't seem to be making a large difference in the metals I use.
Ironbright...I dunno about Ironbright. My problem is that every time I've had Iron and Nickel on a map I've had Flux too. So I never make the stuff. Even tiny flux deposits make it obsolete.
The two things you can smelt from laced platinum seem redundant. One is better than the other but takes more laced platnium. Why bother having both?
Note: All my experience has been on lavaless maps,
I welcome more thoughts about the "mirrorsteel too easy to make using imported rares" thing from anyone with an opinion. This is an open item.
Ironbright: Is capable of being the best battle-metal available on certain maps. Players who choose sites based on underground resources aren't ever likely to appreciate meteoric iron except as a secondary source of nickel, but someone who picks a site by, say, a huge river with no metals to speak of will be grateful for the stuff. If some future version of DF allows ores to (correctly) appear in soil, it's going to be more important.
I provisionally agree about the two laced platinum metals. One is sufficient.