** Shares of Altitude Minerals ATT.AX rise as much as 17.7% to A$0.04, their biggest intraday pct gain since October 13

** Stock hits its highest level since October 17

** The mineral explorer says it received A$80,000 ($51,984) grant from New South Wales (NSW) Government for the drill testing of the Cu-Au deposit T55 target part of Byrock Project

** About 2.1 million shares traded, 1.5x the 30-day average

** YTD, stock 21.3%, including current session's move

($1 = 1.5389 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Ananya Verma in Bengaluru)

((ananya.verma@thomsonreuters.com;))