Effective parameters of a finite sample of a random medium are random varia
bles. Their statistical properties are calculated for a medium consisting o
f a matrix of one material containing a small concentration of inclusions o
f other materials. The results are applied to a random resistor network in
which the probability of a missing resistor is small. (C) 1999 American Ins
titute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)06818-8].