Deconstruction of upstream raised tailings storage facilities is considered as a potential mitigation strategy, but often discarded due to the large uncertainties in material behavior, the potential risks associated with excavating loose saturated tailings, and the limited published successful experiences of these construction projects that aid planning. This paper presents the implementation of a Cone Penetration Test (CPT)-based method (Entezari, 2020) used to evaluate the fluid-like behavior of the tailings, to support the deconstruction planning of a Tailings Storage Facility (TSF), and a comparison between the predicted and observed behavior of the tailings during the deconstruction. The case history presented in this paper was a TSF partially raised upstream and classified as very high risk due to its location next to a creek and short distance to the downstream community where the preferred mitigation strategy was to proceed with the TSF deconstruction (Godley & Quaglia, 2023). The geotechnical site investigation in the pond area of the TSF included CPTu with companion boreholes continuously sampled with thin wall tube completed from a floating platform. The soft-saturated tailings were mainly characterized as high plasticity clays (CH) with fines contents greater than 90%. The CPT results showed a low tip resistance, nearly linear pore pressure measurements, and minimal sleeve friction profile that forecasted a fluid-like behavior within a large portion of the contained material. The CPT evaluation and site testing supported the selection of mechanical excavation and hauling as the deconstruction technique favored by the fluid-like behavior of the tailings. A favorable agreement between the CPT evaluation results and the actual material behavior was observed during deconstruction. This validation provides valuable insights for future projects, enhancing our ability to tailor approaches that align with the anticipated material behavior for safe and efficient tailings deconstruction.