'mineralogical' originates from New Latin 'mineralogicus' (via Modern Latin), specifically from 'mineralogia' ('mineralogy'), where 'mineral-' referred to a substance obtained from a mine or a naturally occurring inorganic substance and the suffix '-ogicus' (from Greek '-ikos' via Latin '-icus') meant 'relating to'.

'mineralogical' developed from the noun 'mineralogy' (coined in the 18th century from Medieval/Modern Latin 'mineralogia') with the adjective-forming suffix '-ical' (from Latin '-icus'), becoming the modern English adjective 'mineralogical'.

Initially it meant 'of or relating to minerals or the study of minerals'; over time it has retained that core meaning while expanding to describe both scientific study and the mineral composition of materials.