<p>Understanding the destabilization mechanisms of composite rocks is vital for mining engineering, especially in evaluating coal mine strata stability. This study investigates the fracturing mechanisms of rock composites, focusing on the effects of lithology and stress path at both micro- and macro-scales, using acoustic emission (AE), digital image correlation (DIC), and high-speed camera technologies. The accumulation of elastic energy is identified as the key factor influencing failure modes, with rock strength positively correlating with energy accumulation. In low-strength fine-grained sandstone and medium-grained sandstone composites, local spalling occurs due to minimal energy accumulation, with microscopic intergranular spalling observed. For medium-strength fine-grained sandstone and siltstone composites, local spalling progresses into blasting jet failure as elastic energy accumulates during staged loading. In high-strength sandy mudstone and fine-grained sandstone composites, the failure mode transitions from local to overall blasting jet failure, with scaly splitting cracks at the microscopic level. Local spalling involves slow fragment ejection, while blasting jet failure results in rapid, severe fragment ejection, with the local mode primarily causing upper ejection and the overall mode involving both upper and lower ejection. The failure process involves three stages: initial compaction, stable crack propagation, and unstable failure. The different failure modes vary significantly, the blasting jet mode is characterized by a block-like strain concentration and dominant upper AE activity. The local spalling mode displays strip-like strain concentration and uniform AE distribution. Therefore, monitoring the accumulation of elastic energy in rock strata can provide early warnings for the occurrence of dynamic hazard risks.</p>