How to Remove Gold From Magnetite

Obtain a sample of the residual sand and dirt from your gold pan after removing the majority of extraneous dirt and rock. Many people that pan for gold save their pan tailings for later examination. Most of the remaining dust and sand is black in color--hence the name "black sand." A large portion of this sand is comprised of magnetite.

Wash the sand with water to remove any remaining dirt particles and to help separate the gold dust from the other mineral particles. The amount of gold dust in the sand is usually small and is difficult to separate from the other components of the sand.

Place the sand and dust in the bottom of a plastic pan and cover with about two or three inches of water. Spread the sand into a thin layer over the bottom of the pan.

Obtain a strong magnet with approximately 50 pounds of pulling force. The new rare earth super magnets work well for this project.

Run the magnet over the surface of the water to attract the magnetite and hematite, as well as any other minerals with magnetic properties from the residue in the bottom of the pan.

Repeat this process several times, moving closer to the bottom of the pan with each pass. Clean the magnet after each pass to remove more particles. Once your passes yield very little magnetic material, move the magnet through the dust and sand to make a final check for magnetic material.

Continue with the drying and final separation of gold from the non-magnetic particles. Using the described procedure will separate the gold dust from the more abundant magnetite particles in the earth.