In a sixth-grade standard, it can be explained that ice in a glacier is considered a mineral because it meets the five characteristics of a mineral: it is naturally occurring, formed by geological processes, has a crystalline structure, is solid, and has a definite chemical composition (H2O). While ice is made of the same chemical composition as water, its solid and crystalline nature makes it meet the criteria to be considered a mineral. On the other hand, water in a river is not considered a mineral as it does not possess a crystalline structure and it can exist in all three states of matter (solid, liquid, gas).
