It is important to determine the presence of native gold to distinguish the real gold from the spurious, that the most humble individual may be able to protect himself from the imposition of unreal deposit, and prevent a waste of time and labor, in saving only such minerals as are really valuable. Basically, the native gold found in many places occurs in small, regular, flattened grains or spangles, which show by their ovoid shape and smooth edges, that this is their original form, and that they are not broken off from a greater mass. It is found mixed with the sands of the plains and rivers, and when washed from dirt is of a dull orange colour, and on analysis proves to consist almost entirely of pure gold, with a small quantity of silver.
Gold is found most plentifully at low water, and after storms or temporary floods. In the present state of affairs, the prospector should be furnished with a few plastic bowls, holding from one to two gallons. A portion of the earth containing the metallic spangles is to be put into one of the bowls, filling it from one quarter to one third full. It is then to be mixed: up with water, by stirring with a stick, and while the earthy matter is still suspended in the liquid, it is to be poured off, the gold, from its greater weight, having previously settled to the bottom. This process of washing is to be continued repeatedly, upon the same portion, until the water flows off clear, and the gold is left in shining spangles at the bottom. This is to be taken out and carefully preserved in a well-corked vial, and then a new portion of earth treated as before.
Gold very often exists in such small grains that it is almost invisible when mixed with the earthy matters, and doubtless large quantities are now overlooked and lost, from inability to obtain it by washing only. These fine particles may be obtained as follows: The earth is mixed up with water as before, but is allowed to settle a little longer before decanting off the water, for fear of losing the small particles. The time allowed for settling, before pouring off the water at each washing, must be regulated according to the relative density of the earthy matters, and of the gold to be separated; for instance, after mixing the earth well with the water, it may be left to settle for a half minute, then poured off; mixed again with water, settled for half a minute, and again poured off, and so on repeatedly till the residue is clean, although it may still contain grains of sand. If on examination of the residue with a small pocket magnifying glass, it is found to consist principally of gold, this shows that the earthy matters and sand having been washed away so cleanly, that some metallic particles may have been washed away with them. In order to prove this, some of the last washings of the next operation should be saved in a gold pan, allowed to settle, and then examined with the microscope.
If these washings contain gold, a longer time, say three quarters of a minute, to a minute or more, must be allowed for settling at each washing, so as to allow the gold to subside before the water is poured off. It is impossible to give the exact time that the mixture should be allowed to settle before it is poured off, as this depends entirely upon circumstances. This, however, can with a little care be so arranged that no gold will be lost, because this metal is heavier than all other bodies except patina, and will consequently settle first when mixed with lighter bodies.