IRONORE/ Shares of heavyweights Rio Tinto RIO.AX, BHP Group BHP.AX and Fortescue Metals Group FMG.AX added between 0.5% and 1.1%. Jan 12 (Reuters) - Australian shares rallied on Thursday, driven by broad-based gains across almost all sectors, supported by optimism that upcoming U.S. December inflation data would point to a more resilient economy and a slower pace of interest rate hikes. The U.S. consumer price index for December, crucial for investors placing bets on the Federal Reserve's next steps, is expected to show annual inflation at 6.5%, down from 7.1% in November.