** Shares of Kuniko KNI.AX rise as much as 31.9% to A$0.095, their biggest intraday pct gain since early-July 2023

** Stock at highest level since August 7

** Mineral explorer secures right to earn up to 70% of Impact Minerals' IPT.AX gold-silver Commonwealth Project in New South Wales

** Impact Minerals up 16.7% on the day

** Near 3.1 million shares change hands, 20.3x 30-day average

** YTD, KNI down 49.5%, IPT down 31.2%, as of 0115 GMT

(Reporting by Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru)

((Roshan.Thomas@thomsonreuters.com;))