Cyclic loading affects the electrical conductivity and fluid permeability of kaolinite clay-bearing sandstone. The effective confining pressure on two sandstones was repeatedly raised and lowered between 3.5 and 31.5 MPa. Permeabilities dropped by 30% for Berea sandstone and 90% for Muddy J sandstone after thre cycles; however, total pore volume always returned to its initial value; after each cycle. Water salinity had little effect on these results. Electrical conductivity showed no change when a very conductive pore fluid, 1 M KC/water, was used, however the conductivity showed the same decreases as permeability when demineralized water was the pore fluid. These results show that clay particle rearrangement in the pores is probably responsible for the permeability changes.