Searchlight Minerals Corp.

2441 West Horizon Ridge Pkwy., Suite 120

Henderson, Nevada 89052

(702) 939-5247

October 1, 2009

United States Securities and Exchange Commission

Division of Corporate Finance

100 F Street, N.E.

Washington, DC 20549-0404

Attn: Russell Mancuso, Legal Branch Chief

Re:      Searchlight Minerals Corp.

Registration Statement on Form S-1/A

(File No. 333-132929)

DearMr. Mancuso:

Searchlight Minerals Corp. (the “Company”) is requesting by separate correspondence the acceleration of the effective date of the above-referenced Registration Statement onForm S-1 (File No. 333-132929) to Friday, October 2, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), or as soon thereafter as is practicable.

As requested in the Staff's correspondence, dated October 1, 2009, in connection with such request for acceleration, the Company hereby acknowledges the following:

· should the Commission or the staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, declare the filing effective, it does not foreclose the Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing;

· the action of the Commission or the staff, acting pursuant to delegated authority, in declaring the filing effective, does not relieve the Company from its full responsibility for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in the filing; and

· the Company may not assert staff comments and the declaration of effectiveness as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States.

United States Securities and Exchange Commission

Russell Mancuso, Legal Branch Chief

October 1, 2009

Page 2

Please contact Jeffrey P. Berg of Baker & Hostetler LLP at (310) 820-8800 if you have any further questions.

SEARCHLIGHT MINERALS CORP.
By:	/s/ Ian R. McNeil
	Ian R. McNeil
	Chief Executive Officer

CC:  CARL S. AGER

KRISTIN LOCHHEAD

JOSEPH MCCANN

MELVIN L. WILLIAMS