Deviations from the Gutenberg–Richter law

The energy distributions of acoustic emission (AE) signals have been analyzed on two scaling levels corresponding to (i) deformation of granite samples and (ii) processes on a commercial mining enterprise. It is established that, in cases of localized fracture, the AE energy distribution has a commonly accepted shape described by a power law, while a dispersed fracture is characterized by an exponential energy distribution of the AE signals. Analysis of the functional form of the energy distribution performed at the early stage of loading allows one to recognize a spatial region in the sample where localization of the defect formation will subsequently take place.