Global miner BHP was last 2.3 per cent higher at $44.82, while Rio Tinto gained 3.3 per cent to $117.01, Fortescue Metals jumped 3 per cent to $23.92 and Mineral Resources was 5.3 per cent up at $36.81.

Gold prices improved to help Newcrest up 1.7 per cent to $25.29, while Northern Star gained 0.7 per cent to $11.95. Evolution was an outlier, dropping 1.6 per cent to $4.59.

Silver - while still short of last week’s highs - was worth $US26.85 an ounce. Adriatic Metals was 1.8 per cent higher, Silver Mines gained 1 per cent, and Azure Minerals was up 2 per cent.

Lynas rare earth was 4.5 per cent higher at $5.12, edging back towards January’s seven-year peak of $5.69. Iluka was 5.7 per cent ahead at $6.89 and OZ Minerals gained 2.2 per cent to $19.15.

The wider materials sector was 2.1 per cent ahead as the local market lifted 0.8 per cent to almost touch 6900 for the first time since February 2020.

Mining services and construction materials companies are also strong on Monday.

Perenti jumped 3.4 per cent to $1.505, James Hardie gained more than 4 per cent and touched a new record $40.95.

The materials sector has so far underperformed the financials, consumer discretionaries, energy, tech and telco stocks for gains in 2021, even as the mega-cap stocks BHP, Rio and FMG nudged record highs in January on soaring iron ore prices.