sentences:  With the break-out of World War I all of Sydvarangers sales and shipping contracts were annulled for the duration of the conflict.In July 1914 the company started securing sufficient spare parts and increasing its purchases of coal and food.As it was difficult to sell ore, the workforce was instead put to preparatory work, such as preparing new areas for mining, emptying one pit of water and lowering the water level in Bjørnevatnet by three meters (10 ft).