By Reuters Staff 2 Min Read May 10 (Reuters) - Australian shares scaled a near 15-month high on Monday boosted by gains in gold and iron ore miners on the back of firmer metal prices, and as shares in the country’s top two casino operators jumped on a proposed merger. The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.9% to 7,147 points at 0045 GMT, their highest since Feb. 21, 2020. Heavyweight miners were the top boosts to the benchmark, rising 2.55%, with iron-ore giant Fortescue Metals Group Ltd up 4.57%, followed by Ioneer Ltd, gaining 4.23%. Gold miners climbed 2.08% as the prices of precious metal edged to three-month highs. Pantoro Ltd rose 4.88%, while Catalyst Metals Ltd gained 4.83%.