After sitting steady all day, the S&P ASX 200 closed 34 points or 1% higher at 4313.

The basic materials sector of the ASX reversed yesterday’s losses and gained 1.6%.

Australia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by 0.% to 5.1% in August, the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed today.

The number of people unemployed decreased by 10,600 people to 622,600 last month, while the adjusted labour force participation rate remained steady at 65%.

However, employed people decreased by 8800 to 11.5 million which was driven by decreased part-time employment.

Industrial disputes have been rife in recent months with further data from the ABS indicating there were 53 disputes during the June quarter, representing 10 more than the March quarter this year.

There was 101,700 working days lost due to industrial disputation in the June quarter, which was 35,800 days more when compared to the prior period.

ABS said this was the highest level of working days lost since the June quarter in 2004.

The coal mining industry emerged with the highest number of working days lost for the quarter, equating to 152.7 days per 1000 employees.

Shares in majors’ BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto both improved with BHP moving up 1% to $A31.34 and Rio gaining 2% to $50.16.

Some iron ore miners fared better than others with Atlas Iron gaining 6% to $1.27 while Fortescue Metals Group slipped for a third day by 5% to $2.97.

Rare earth focused Lynas Corporation was the strongest performer of the day with shares soaring by 41% from 59.5c to 84c since being granted a temporary operating license for the Lynas advanced materials plant in Malaysia yesterday.

Among the juniors, Encounter Resources jumped 14% to 20c on no news and shares in Finders Resources lifted 12% to 18c after receiving permits for the Wetar copper project in Indonesia.