Question

which sentence is punctuated correctly?

1. when dinosaur bones become petrified, meaning their substance is replaced by a mineral deposit; they can often turn into colorful gemstones.
2. most gems are minerals that occur in different types of rock; however, some gems are organic, meaning that they are produced by plants or animals.
3. precious metals, such as gold, silver, and platinum, used to be considered currency; but now are utilized most often as valuable and expensive jewelry.
4. organic gems are characterized as being softer and less durable, though they are still often used in jewelry or in other decorative ways; some examples being pearls and shells.

Explanation:

1. In option 1, the semicolon after "mineral deposit" is incorrect as the second - part is not an independent clause.
2. Option 2 is correct. "Most gems are minerals that occur in different types of rock" is an independent clause, and "however" is used to connect it to the second independent clause "some gems are organic, meaning that they are produced by plants or animals", and the semicolon is used appropriately before "however".
3. In option 3, the semicolon before "but" is incorrect. "but" is a coordinating conjunction, and a comma should be used instead.
4. In option 4, the semicolon between the two parts is incorrect as the second - part is not an independent clause.

Answer:

1. Most gems are minerals that occur in different types of rock; however, some gems are organic, meaning that they are produced by plants or animals.