Construction works in civil and water resources engineering are built on soil or rock and in many instances, these formed the raw materials for construction.  It is therefore indispensable to understand the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of such orthodox material.  Vertisol, also known as Black cotton soils (B.C) is heavy black clay associated with calcium rich parent rock, which have high swelling and shrinkage properties.  So also, quarry by-products (Quarry Dust - Q.D) are disposed of as waste from an asphalt plant.  Permeability is an important factor in the design of liners whether for canals, dams or landfills.  Hence this research seeks to assess the beneficial use of the quarry dust and black cotton soil mixtures for this purpose. The work was carried out on soils from five locations in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State - Nigeria to assess the permeability properties of black cotton soil mixed with quarry dust in order to improve strength, reduce shrinkage and swelling characteristics, particularly when used as liners for water resources structures such as dam embankments.  The result of the analysis indicates that, the chemical composition test on the soil mixtures has low salinity and plasticity levels, and slightly acidic. From classification, the soil has a liquid limit of about 50% and the permeability of the mixture at all the five points was high at 100% B.C –  0% Q.D then decreases at 80% B.C – 20% Q.D, and at 60% B.C – 40% Q.D and went high at 50% B.C - 50% Q.D.  Therefore, the research recommends that 80% - 20% and 60% - 40% of B.C - Q.D mixtures can be used as liners, having exhibited a reduced permeability value.