According to http://www.trace-mineral-drops.com/ liquid trace minerals are best when they are covalent traceminerals and not ionic trace minerals. Ionic trace minerals are rocks dissolved in sea water. Since we don't normally eat rocks, does it make much sense to drink dissolved rocks?
Plant derived minerals, also know as fulvic acid or humic acid, come from ancient plant deposits that have purified water dripped through them. the result is colloidal minerals that are much easier for the body to digest.
Plants absorb ionic minerals from the soil and change their chemical structure into covalent chemical bonds. Since the body is used to getting minerals from veggies and fruits, it only makes sense that you'd want to take traceminerals that are also plant-derived.