Ice is a naturally occurring crystalline solid formed by the freezing of water. While often overlooked, it is recognized as a valid mineral species by the IMA due to its stable, ordered crystalline structure under specific planetary conditions.

Hardness

1.5

Mohs

Luster

Vitreous

Streak

White

Transparency

Transparent

mineralcommonIce family

Cubo-ice

Also: Water ice, Solidified water

Hardness: 1.5
Luster: Vitreous
Streak: White
Transparency: Transparent

No image

Is this cubo-ice?

5-step field check

Run through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.

1
Test the hardness
Try to scratch cubo-ice with a known reference. Cubo-ice sits at Mohs 1.5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
2
Check the streak
Drag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
3
Read the luster
Hold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
4
Match the color range
Compare against the expected color range: colorless, white, blue.
5
Look at form & habit
Crystal system: cubic. Typical habit: hexagonal plates, needles, or massive.

Often confused with

Cubo-ice vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.

mineral

Quartz

Mohs 7

How to tell apart: Quartz is the harder of the two (Mohs 7 vs. 1.5).

How to tell apart: Calcite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3 vs. 1.5).

How to tell apart: Topaz is the harder of the two (Mohs 8 vs. 1.5).

Compare →

All properties

Chemical formula: H₂O
Mohs hardness: 1.5
Density: 0.917 g/cm³
Colors: Colorless White Blue
Streak: White
Luster: Vitreous
Transparency: Transparent
Crystal system: Cubic
Crystal habit: Hexagonal plates, needles, or massive
Cleavage: None
Rarity: Common
Uses: Scientific study, Cryology, Collector
Host rock: glaciers and permafrost environments

Where rockhounds find cubo-ice

Classic worldwide localities

Antarctica
Greenland
Alpine glaciers
Earth polar regions

Field-hunting tip

Where it forms: glaciers and permafrost environments. If you start seeing air, gases, impurities in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: hexagonal plates, needles, or massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.

Common questions

How do you identify cubo-ice?+

Mohs hardness is 1.5. Luster: vitreous. The streak is white. Common colors include colorless, white, blue.

Where is cubo-ice found?+

Notable localities include Antarctica; Greenland; Alpine glaciers; Earth polar regions.

What rocks look like cubo-ice?+

Cubo-ice is most often confused with Quartz, Calcite, Topaz. A quick hardness test and a streak check separate the look-alikes faster than color alone.

What minerals are found with cubo-ice?+

Cubo-ice commonly co-occurs with air, gases, impurities. Spotting any of these in float or country rock is a useful trip signal.

What kind of rock does cubo-ice form in?+

Where it forms: glaciers and permafrost environments. Working float back to the host body is the standard way to chase a fresh occurrence.

What is cubo-ice used for?+

Cubo-ice is used in scientific study, cryology, collector.

Find cubo-ice on the map

RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.