In volcanic rock, permeability is the property that tells us how efficiently fluids such as gas or water can travel through cracks and frozen bubbles in the rock (its porosity) and is important in the context of volcanic activity. This study addresses how permeability evolves under a range of mechanical experimental conditions. We show that with a small amount of porosity loss (compaction), permeability can increase. However, with more compaction, permeability can decrease significantly.