A mining apparatus comprising: a chassis; an articulable arm operably coupled to the chassis; a bucket rotatably connected to the arm and defining an interior cavity, wherein the bucket is configured to receive ore comprising one or more minerals; an electromagnetic sensor system associated with the bucket for collecting data related to the ore, wherein the electromagnetic sensor system comprises at least one active sensor, and wherein the electromagnetic sensor system is configured to: generate source signals, apply the source signals to the at least one active sensor, and collect a response to the source signals from the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore, wherein the response comprises a desired response; characterized in that: the at least one active sensor is coupled to the bucket; the mining apparatus further comprises a data analysis system communicatively coupled to the electromagnetic sensor system and configured to: compare the response of the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore to the response of at least one reference sensor not in the presence of the ore, and analyze the data to determine a content of the one or more minerals in the ore; the mining apparatus further comprises a decision support system coupled to the data analysis system configured to provide an output related to sorting and processing ore in response to the content of the one or more minerals; and the bucket comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall wherein the at least active sensor comprises a plurality of active sensors, wherein at least one active sensor is coupled to the first sidewall and at least one active sensor is coupled to the second sidewall. a chassis; an articulable arm operably coupled to the chassis; a bucket rotatably connected to the arm and defining an interior cavity, wherein the bucket is configured to receive ore comprising one or more minerals; an electromagnetic sensor system associated with the bucket for collecting data related to the ore, wherein the electromagnetic sensor system comprises at least one active sensor, and wherein the electromagnetic sensor system is configured to: generate source signals, apply the source signals to the at least one active sensor, and collect a response to the source signals from the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore, wherein the response comprises a desired response; wherein the electromagnetic sensor system comprises at least one active sensor, and wherein the electromagnetic sensor system is configured to: generate source signals, apply the source signals to the at least one active sensor, and collect a response to the source signals from the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore, wherein the response comprises a desired response; generate source signals, apply the source signals to the at least one active sensor, and collect a response to the source signals from the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore, wherein the response comprises a desired response; characterized in that: the at least one active sensor is coupled to the bucket; the mining apparatus further comprises a data analysis system communicatively coupled to the electromagnetic sensor system and configured to: compare the response of the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore to the response of at least one reference sensor not in the presence of the ore, and analyze the data to determine a content of the one or more minerals in the ore; the mining apparatus further comprises a decision support system coupled to the data analysis system configured to provide an output related to sorting and processing ore in response to the content of the one or more minerals; and the bucket comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall wherein the at least active sensor comprises a plurality of active sensors, wherein at least one active sensor is coupled to the first sidewall and at least one active sensor is coupled to the second sidewall. the at least one active sensor is coupled to the bucket; the mining apparatus further comprises a data analysis system communicatively coupled to the electromagnetic sensor system and configured to: compare the response of the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore to the response of at least one reference sensor not in the presence of the ore, and analyze the data to determine a content of the one or more minerals in the ore; compare the response of the at least one active sensor in the presence of the ore to the response of at least one reference sensor not in the presence of the ore, and analyze the data to determine a content of the one or more minerals in the ore; the mining apparatus further comprises a decision support system coupled to the data analysis system configured to provide an output related to sorting and processing ore in response to the content of the one or more minerals; and the bucket comprises a first sidewall and a second sidewall wherein the at least active sensor comprises a plurality of active sensors, wherein at least one active sensor is coupled to the first sidewall and at least one active sensor is coupled to the second sidewall.