Copper miners gain as red metal darts to 16-month peak on mine disruptions

** Shares of copper miners gain, tracking red metal prices

** Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 climbed to $10,815 per metric ton, the strongest since May 22 last year, before settling 0.1% firmer at $10,771 per metric ton

** Copper prices briefly hit a 16-month peak due to worries about potential shortages from a series of mine disruptions, but a stronger dollar curbed the gains

** U.S.-listed shares of global mining giants Rio Tinto RIO.N and BHP Group BHP.N rise 2.2% and 1.9%, respectively

** Copper miners Southern Copper SCCO.N gains 5.5% and Freeport-McMoRan FCX.N up 4.8%

** Separately, Citigroup raises PT for SCCO to $108 from $89.10 and upgrades FCX to "buy" from "neutral"

** Canadian miners Hudbay Minerals HBM.TO up 6.9% and Teck Resources TECKb.TO gains 1.8%