I have just finished reading "The future of cave" and here are my thoughts (and remember that the player doesn't always know what's best):
Point 1: I see your rebuttal to my argument and I understand where you're coming from. In this case you may want to introduce players to materials that they are unfamiliar with. (Iron is familiar, while "Intressium" is not) This might allow the player to feel like that they are actually learning how the world around works and behaves if implemented correctly. Just don't be like: "Aha, you have found the blueprints to a iron pickaxe", because it makes sense for people to know how to make an iron pickaxe already. (Unless the plot somehow makes this not so.)
TL:DR In my opinion you should only lock crafting when it makes sense in the lore to do so.
Point 2: This is a much smaller point. I believe that it would be cool to have a seed system like Minecraft's, so that you can revisit a past seed if you want. (Also set-seed speed runs?👀)
"Point" 3: This "point" is just a new idea. While reading this devlog I thought of an idea that I don't recall seeing in any other game ever. Dynamic info boxes. Now this probably sounds confusing and stupid (as it may very well be), but hear me out. I thought,"Well this game is going to be about discovery". I thought that maybe that as you learn more about an item the description updates. When you first collect copper it says "A heavy bar of copper" and (I'm assuming the game's setting is medieval) you can figure out that copper can be imbued with magic (electricity) and the info box would update to reflect that. Or maybe just ditch info boxes for a journal.
TL:DR No tldr for you this time >:)
"Point" 4: I think that it would be cool to have the player discover something that the dwarves couldn't. Just some food for thought.
Can't wait to hear back! -Nick