diff --git a/eve_orehold_watcher.py b/eve_orehold_watcher.py
index 5db5e05..5568958 100644
--- a/eve_orehold_watcher.py
+++ b/eve_orehold_watcher.py
@@ -82,28 +82,56 @@ def save_region(cp, left, top, width, height):
         cp.write(f)
 
 
+RATE_PATH = os.path.join(HERE, ".mining_rate")
+
+
+def write_rate(m3_per_min, cur, cap):
+    """Publish the live ore-hold fill rate so the rock watcher can estimate how long
+    until the asteroid you're on is depleted. Written every OCR tick."""
+    try:
+        with open(RATE_PATH, "w") as f:
+            json.dump({"rate_m3min": round(m3_per_min, 1), "cur": cur, "cap": cap,
+                       "ts": int(time.time())}, f)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
 # Delivery
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
-_BOT_STATE = {"t": 0, "muted": False}
+_BOT_STATE = {"t": 0, "muted": False, "mining": False}
 
 
-def bot_muted(cp):
-    """Coordinate with the Discord bot: poll the shared alert-state it publishes, so a
-    `!mute` in Discord also silences these local watchers. Cached 30s."""
-    url = cp.get("coordination", "bot_state_url", fallback="").strip() \
-        if cp.has_section("coordination") else ""
-    if not url:
-        return False
+DEFAULT_STATE_URL = ("https://git.armoredarmadillo.com/brockdarnold/eve-watcher/"
+                     "raw/branch/main/alert_state.json")
+
+
+def _bot_state(cp):
+    """Poll the shared alert-state the Discord bot publishes (mute/quiet/mining),
+    cached 30s, so a Discord `!mute` / `!mining` also drives the local watchers.
+    Defaults to the public alert_state.json (no config needed)."""
+    url = (cp.get("coordination", "bot_state_url", fallback="").strip()
+           if cp.has_section("coordination") else "") or DEFAULT_STATE_URL
     if time.time() - _BOT_STATE["t"] < 30:
-        return _BOT_STATE["muted"]
+        return _BOT_STATE
     try:
-        d = json.loads(urllib.request.urlopen(url, timeout=5).read())
+        req = urllib.request.Request(url, headers={"User-Agent": "eve-watcher"})
+        d = json.loads(urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=5).read())
         _BOT_STATE["muted"] = bool(d.get("muted"))
+        _BOT_STATE["mining"] = bool(d.get("mining"))
         _BOT_STATE["t"] = time.time()
     except Exception:
         pass
-    return _BOT_STATE["muted"]
+    return _BOT_STATE
+
+
+def bot_muted(cp):
+    return _bot_state(cp)["muted"]
+
+
+def bot_mining(cp):
+    """True when a mining session is active (started via `!mining on` in Discord)."""
+    return _bot_state(cp)["mining"]
 
 
 def notify(cp, title, message, priority="high", tags="rock,bell"):
@@ -287,6 +315,7 @@ def run_ocr(cp):
     last_grow = time.time()
     last_stall_alert = 0.0
     misses = 0
+    samples = []            # recent (t, cur) for the live fill-rate estimate
     while True:
         try:
             img = grab_region(region)
@@ -297,6 +326,14 @@ def run_ocr(cp):
                 cur, cap = parsed
                 pct = 100.0 * cur / cap
                 print(f"[ocr] {cur}/{cap} m3  ({pct:.1f}%)  armed={armed}")
+                # --- live fill rate (m3/min) over a ~90s window -> .mining_rate ---
+                now = time.time()
+                samples.append((now, cur))
+                samples = [(t, c) for (t, c) in samples if now - t <= 90 and c <= cur]
+                if len(samples) >= 2 and (samples[-1][0] - samples[0][0]) >= 20:
+                    dc = samples[-1][1] - samples[0][1]
+                    dt = samples[-1][0] - samples[0][0]
+                    write_rate(dc / dt * 60 if dc > 0 else 0.0, cur, cap)
                 if pct < reset_pct:
                     armed = True
                 # --- still mining? (hold should be growing) ---