** Australian mining stocks .AXMM gain as much as 0.4% to their highest since May 28, 2024

** AXMM set for third consecutive session of gains

** Sub-index tracks copper prices, which climbed to their highest in more than a month on Monday, supported by upbeat manufacturing data from top metals consumer China, weaker dollar MET/L

** Mining major BHP Group BHP.AX rises 0.5%, smaller peer Rio Tinto RIO.AX up 0.4%

** YTD, AXMM gains 16.5%

(Reporting by Rajasik Mukherjee in Bengaluru)

((Rajasik.Mukherjee@thomsonreuters.com))