'mineral-associated' originates from Modern English compounding of the noun 'mineral' and the past-participle adjective 'associated'. 'mineral' ultimately comes from Latin 'minerale' (a thing from a mine), and 'associated' comes from Latin 'associare' (to unite with), where the root 'soci-' meant 'companion' or 'join'.

'mineral' changed from Latin 'minerale' through Old French 'mineral' into Middle and then Modern English 'mineral'. 'associate' comes from Latin 'associare' → Late Latin 'associare' → Old French 'associer' and entered English via Middle English/Modern English as 'associate' and its past participle 'associated'; the compound 'mineral-associated' is a modern English formation combining these elements.

Individually, 'mineral' originally referred to products of mines and 'associate' meant 'to join or connect'. Over time the compound came to mean 'linked to or held by minerals' (especially in scientific contexts describing particles or organic matter).