You can test for gold in the field using several simple prospecting methods before sending samples to a lab: • Gold Panning – Use a pan to wash soil or crushed rock in water; gold, being heavy, settles at the bottom. • Visual Inspection – Look for visible gold flakes or veins in quartz or black sand concentrates. • Magnet Test – Run a strong magnet over crushed material; gold is non-magnetic, so it won’t stick (but iron minerals will). • Streak Test – Rub the sample on unglazed porcelain; gold l