How does a capital-hungry base metal mining company raise cash when all this market cares about is gold? Team up with customers.

Uranium One announced a $270-million financing Tuesday from a Japanese consortium that also took an option in the company's future production. This deal comes at a time when gold plays are raising money left and right, while the rest of the mining industry is starved for capital, due to weak prospects for the commodities they produce.

Uranium One is selling 117 million shares to a special purpose company created by the Tokyo Electric Power Company and Toshiba - both players in nuclear power - and The Japan Bank for International Cooperation. The agreement gives this group secured fuel supplies, with an option to purchase up to 20 per cent of Uranium One's production.

The financing comes after Uranium One stock dropped from $18 at the height of the uranium boom in 2007 to $2.01 at Monday's close of trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

BMO Nesbit Burns advised Uranium One on this partnership, which will see the Japanese group name two directors on the Canadian company's board. Fasken Martineau DuMoulin and Davis LLP did the legal work.