tony wrote:
alot of the newer welding books have steps/tips on welding
magnesium.. i'm not so much particularly interested in learning
to weld magnesium as much as wondering what kind of parts
are typically made of magnesium. steel i can recognize.. but
snip
and how do i identify it?

Cleaning a bare spot, then dripping vinegar on it will cause most
magnesium alloys to generate some bubbles.