The gain represents a rise of about 15% so far this year.

BHP's shares dropped back a little over the course of the day and were down about 0.4% this afternoon to $33.64 at the time of writing.

Commodity prices had recorded mixed results over the past 24 hours, with nickel surging more than 3%, iron ore up around 1% but copper down about 0.7%.

Elsewhere, London's metals and mining sector managed a slight gain yesterday of 0.04%.

Among the majors, Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) closed up 0.4% and Anglo American (LSE: AAL) was down 1%.

In the US, the S&P500 metals and mining sector closed 0.33% lower.

S&P/TSX Composite Index's metals and mining sector managed a 0.13% gain, helped largely by Ivanhoe Mines' (TSX: IVN) rise of 4.67% as it continues this month's share price recovery.

Also in Toronto, Lucara Diamond Corp (TSX: LUC) gained 3.48% but remains near a 52-week low reached in late March.

Finally, in South Africa Anglogold Ashanti (JSE: ANG) closed down 1.51% yesterday which represents a drop of 14.24% year-to-date.