** True North Copper TNC.AX rises as much as 5.8% to A$0.32; marks biggest intraday pct gain since February 25

** Copper explorer gets Queensland Government Collaborative Exploration Initiative Grant of ~A$250,000 ($175,425)

** Funds to accelerate co's geophysical surveying at its Mt Oxide Copper Project

** Nearly 500,948 shares traded, 1.1x the 30-day average

** YTD, TNC down 33.7%

($1 = A$1.4251)

(Reporting by Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru)

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