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Chemical Formula | H2O |
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Composition | Hydrogen oxide. Usually impure. |
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Color | Colorless, white, gray, brown. The actual color of pure Ice is colorless with a slight blue tinge. |
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Streak | White |
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Hardness | 1½ |
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Crystal Forms and Aggregates |
(Hexagonal) Massive, stalactitic, stalagmitic, crusty, and in fibrous veins. Also occurs as snow in interestingly formed hexagonal snowflakes. No two snowflakes are the same. |
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Transparency | Transparent to translucent |
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Specific Gravity | 0.9 (Pure = .917) |
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Luster | Vitreous |
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Cleavage | None |
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Fracture | Conchoidal to uneven |
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Tenacity | Brittle |
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Other ID Marks | 1) Very cold 2) Floats in water 3) Melts at 32º F (0º C), transforming into water |
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Varieties |  Snow - Form of Ice that
occurs as precipitation in small, perfect, hexagonal crystals Snowflake
- Agglomeration of individual snow crystals Hailstone
- Rounded pellets of Ice containing alternating layers of
snow and solid ice. Glacier
- Moving mass of compressed snow that "flows"
down from a mountain. Iceberg
- Mountain of solid Ice that float in the oceans.
Icebergs are 9/10ths below the water. Frazil
- Spongy mass of Ice formed in flowing streams Glaze
- Coating of Ice over other material. Glaze is formed
during freezing rain storms, when the ice forms a
sparkling layer over trees, telephone wires, etc. Icicle
- Stalactite of Ice. |
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Polymorphs | Water |
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In Group | Oxides ; Hydroxides |
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All About | Ice is one of the most common minerals, and
forms perfect crystals. Although many people do not
realize Ice as a mineral, it is just as much a mineral as
Quartz is. All Ice is colorless, unless impure. Flaws and cracks cause it to be white. Snow is colorless, but the reflections of its crystal sides cause it to look white. Snow has a most interesting crystal form. Each one forms with hexagonal shapes, often with intriguing and interesting shapes. No two Snow crystals are alike. Snow crystals cling together to form Snowflakes. Hailstones are formed in thunderclouds, where small water particles are tossed about from the wind, accumulating layers of Ice. When the Hailstone gets heavy and can no longer remain suspended in the cloud, it falls to the earth. Hailstones with a 5 inch (13 cm) diameter fall in certain regions. Glaciers are formed when snow fails to melt and accumulates, and eventually starts "flowing" downhill like a river. When a moving glacier reaches a body of water, it forms Icebergs, or floating "mountains" of compressed snow. |
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Uses | -- |
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Striking Features | Floats in water and melts at 32º F (0º C) |
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Complex Tests | Melts at 32º F (0º C) |
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Popularity (1-4) | 1 |
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Prevalence (1-3) | 1 |
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Demand (1-3) | 1 |
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Distinguishing Similar Minerals |
There are no minerals similar to Ice |
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Commonly Occurs With |
-- |
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Noteworthy Localities |
Antarctica, North Pole |
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Picture Icon Links |
Sorry. No Images currently available. |
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Picture Links | Sorry. No Images currently available. |
