a continuous process for obtaining copper from a copper sulfide by : contacting a first batch of the copper sulfide with a first lixiviant containing cupric chloride , and a minimum amount of ferrous chloride to leach copper ; separating the leach liquor from from the undissolved solids and dividing the liquor into two portions ; one portion of the liquor containing about the same amount of copper as is leached from the copper sulfide in and ; cementing with iron the copper from the one portion of the liquor from ; recombining the portions of the liquor from ; oxidizing with oxygen the recombined portions from to form a second lixiviant ; the cuprous chloride therein being oxidized to cupric chloride and the iron therein , from cementing copper , being oxidized and precipitated ; contacting the copper sulfide solids from with the second lixiviant from to additionally leach the first batch of the copper sulfide ; recycling the leach liquor from to and using it as the first lixiviant in for leaching copper from a second batch of the copper sulfide , whereby substantially all the cupric chloride in the first lixiviant is reduced to cuprous chloride in .