Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein

Franz-Joseph Müller, Freiherr von Reichenstein
Born(1740-07-01)1 July 1740 or (1742-10-04)4 October 1742
Died(1825-10-12)12 October 1825 or (1826-10-12)12 October 1826 (age 85 or 86 or 84)
Alma materBergakademie Schemnitz
Known fordiscovery of tellurium
Scientific career
Fieldsmining and chemistry

Franz-Joseph Müller, Freiherr von Reichenstein or Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein (1 July 1740 or 4 October 1742 – 12 October 1825 or 1826) was an Austrian mineralogist and mining engineer. Müller held several positions in the Habsburg monarchy administration of mines and coinage in the Banat, Transylvania, and Tyrol. During his time in Transylvania he discovered tellurium in 1782. In his later career he became a member of the imperial council in Vienna and was knighted and elevated to the rank Freiherr in 1820.