Copper recovery process

An improvement in the process of recovery of copper from aqueous ammoniacal solutions containing copper values in which the copper values are extracted from the aqueous ammoniacal solution by an organic phase comprised of a diketone copper extractant dissolved in a water-immiscible organic hydrocarbon solvent, by improving the stripping of the copper from the organic extractant phase, in which the improved stripping results from the incorporation into, or addition to the diketone extractant phase of a catalytic amount of an hydroxy aryl oxime. Also an improved extractant composition is provided comprised of the mixture of a diketone copper extractant and a catalytic amount (preferably about 0.5 to about 5 mole % in relation to the diketone) of an hydroxy aryl oxime, such as nonyl or dodecyl salicylaldoxime.