The origin of tabular ground ice is analysed based on the assumption that ground ice contains traces of petrogeochemical properties of the rocks in the region of its formation. In case of segregation or intrusion origins these properties reflect specific features of underlying rocks, while buried ice from glaciers and glacial ice inherits geochemical properties of atmospheric precipitation in the area of snow accumulation and of rocks underlying flow trajectories. Samples from five tabular ground ice sections at the Kara and the Bering seas were analysed by various chemical methods. The suggested approach shows that the primary sources of tabular ground ice appear to be atmospheric precipitation and ground water rather than marine water, though the influence of marine components is observed in some cases.