Geophysical data has revealed anomalous water enrichment in the mantle transition zone (MTZ, 410–660 km depths), which is widely attributed to crustal water released from stagnant subducted slabs. However, the majority of hydrous minerals dehydrate completely at depths <∼300 km, leaving the mechanism of water transport to the deeper mantle unresolved. The discovery of ‘epidote-phases’ in superdeep diamonds from the MTZ offers a potential solution, yet critical uncertainties persist regarding its stability under subduction-zone thermal gradients and MTZ conditions. This study experimentally demonstrates that the hydroxyl groups in epidote strengthen along cold-to-hot subduction geotherms (5–25 °C/km) across ∼250 km. In the deeper reduced mantle (buffered by FeO-Fe), epidote undergoes complete dehydration at ∼250 km via decomposition into grossular, andradite and wustite. Yet, kinetic barriers and the limited extent of reduced domains within slabs probably inhibit this process. Under oxidized conditions (Fe2O3-Fe3O4 buffer), epidote destabilizes at thermally perturbed slab interfaces, and is more likely to decompose via prolonged mantle-derived heating in the MTZ. This breakdown partially traps water in the newly formed grossular garnet. These findings redefine epidote as a dynamic agent in the hydration of the MTZ, offering a novel mineralogical perspective on the water-rich characteristics of this enigmatic region.
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