By Brax
Iron is a key to life-playing a key part in hemoglobin and chlorophyll. Of course trace amounts of iron (enough for life to survive) remain on Athas today-but there are not refining processes powerful enough to take advantage. As I see it, iron is key to Athasian magic as well as psionics. Sorcerers use it to channel life energy from plants, and ascendant wizards channel it from animals as well-through the iron in the blood.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://athas.org/articles/alternate-history-rajaat-and-the-pristine-tower