Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making the chloride of a metal from the sulfide of said metal in the absence of air and for a metal selected from copper, iron, lead, zinc, silver and gold. The process consists of three broad steps. First, forming an intimate mixture of finely divided sulfides of the metals with finely divided chlorides, the latter being in an anhydrous state. Second, heating the mixture to a temperature at which there is a rapid reaction converting the metal sulfides to chlorides and elemental sulfur in the state of a solid aggregate mixture. Third, recovering the formed metal chlorides from the aggregate mixture by conventional means.