The SACUM system was invented in Australia by Randall Peterson and was first shown in 1998 at the 1st Australasia Coal Operators Conference at the University of Wollongong. The SACUM Conveyor is an extendible, roof mounted, monorail conveyor devised for continually extending or retracting a panel conveyor and its utility systems. (See related article). The SACUM conveyor works with longwall or room and pillar mining.

Peterson, the president of Softwall Equipment Corporation, is also one of the principals of The New Stansbury Coal Company of Utah which plans to operate the mine by March this year if the finances are approved.

A manufacturing plant will be built next to the mining operation to manufacture the SACUM conveyor which New Stansbury plans to market through its use in the mine. A full-scale SACUM mockup has been tested in Utah but the equipment and method is yet to be subjected to a full production trial.

The New Stansbury lease areas contain more than 162 million tons of proven reserves with more than 55 million tons of measured recoverable coal in seven seams. Another seven coal seams are available for exploration.

The mining operation will use direct surface access to the coal employing a direct down-dip advance and a direct up-dip retreat.