** Australian mining stocks .AXMM rise as much as 3%, helping the broader benchmark .AXJO gain 1.5%

** Sub-index shed 6.3% in the previous two sessions of losses

** Copper snapped two straight days of losses on Friday to move back above the $13,000 level as investors bought into the dip MET/L

** BHP BHP.AX and Rio Tinto RIO.AX advance as much as 2.4% and 2.9%, respectively

** Rio notches an all-time high

** YTD, AXMM up 7.5%, outperforming AXJO's 1.4% rise

(Reporting by Nikita Maria Jino in Bengaluru)

((Nikita.Jino@thomsonreuters.com;))