Can an earth-like world lack mineable iron?

This question is pretty straightforward. I would like to build an earth-like world in which humans don't have access to iron, or at least can't mine any prior to full scale industrialization. They can scavenge very small quantities from meteor impacts to make "magic" steel weapons, but I want to force them to rely on bronze and other materials for all daily use. I'd like to do this with a minimum of other changes to the geology and biology of the world.

My problem is that I don't know any way to prevent humans from mining iron other than making it extraordinarily scarce, and I don't know if this will have spiraling natural consequences.

First, would a planet with so little iron that it couldn't be mined develop differently, geologically speaking? (No nickel of course, for a start. But I'm fine with that.) Second, could I make iron that scarce without radically changing the terrestrial biology, for example by forcing my creatures to use a different less efficient mineral as an oxygenator?

Can you have an earth-like world with humans that don't have access to iron as a material?

posted almost 7 years ago

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