Water is classified as a mineral only when it occurs as a naturally formed crystalline solid. One January morning these rocks in my backyard were covered with clusters of needle-like ice crystals, thanks to a perfect mix of atmospheric moisture and temperature. Certainly a rare enough mineral in Tucson. Thirty minutes after these photos were taken the air temperature had risen just four degrees, and all the ice crystals had melted.
Ice crystals with azurite, malachite, chrysocolla, limonite, and hematite.
Ice crystals on serpentine and marble.
Ice crystals on mimetite.
For more information about ice as a mineral: https://www.mindat.org/min-2001.html
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