** Shares of Australia's Cosmo Metals CMO.AX rise as much as 11.1% to A$0.02, their highest since September 2
** Gold and base metals explorer secures approval from the New South Wales Resources Regulator for its first drilling program in the Spring Creek area within the Bingara gold-copper-antimony project in New South Wales
** Stock last up 5.6%, bringing YTD gains to nearly 10%
(Reporting by Shruti Agarwal in Bengaluru)
((Shruti.Agarwal@thomsonreuters.com;))