Mining stocks were the best performers on Tuesday afternoon, as metals prices rose on the back of a weaker dollar. Precious metal producers Fresnillo, Randgold and Polymetal were among the highest risers on the FTSE 350 as gold and silver futures advanced.Diversified mining group Rio Tinto was also making gains after being able to work through a equipment issues and unseasonal wet weather inĀ Australia to deliver record iron ore production in the first half.Glencore Xstrata rose after saying it had received a number of approaches to buy its interest in Peru's Las Bambas copper mine project as it started the sale process. One miner bucking the trend this morning was Vedanta with shares lower after RBC Capital Markets downgraded the stock to 'underperform' and cut its target price from 1,200p to 1,100p.Other notable risers included Anglo American, ENRC, BHP Billiton, Ferrexpo and Kazakhmys.Top performing sectors so far todayIndustrial Metals & Mining 1,194.89 +3.82%Mining 15,216.24 +1.84%Forestry & Paper 9,877.34 +1.38%Electricity 10,135.79 +0.96%Gas, Water & Multiutilities 5,793.61 +0.56%Bottom performing sectors so far todayPersonal Goods 23,917.55 -1.92%Industrial Transportation 2,854.29 -1.83%Fixed Line Telecommunications 3,853.56 -1.73%Household Goods & Home Construction 10,713.44 -1.62%Media 5,780.41 -1.30%BC