How can you distinguish if the gold is near?

Reef gold: this gold will become smoother the further away it is from the source, the source being the reef. If the gold is jagged in appearance then the gold source is near!

Alluvial gold, river gold, placer gold: this gold will reduce in quantity the further away it is from the mother lode.

If your recovering kilograms of alluvial gold in one spot, then you are on the gold!

Next trick is to find the reef gold that deposited the alluvial gold!