1840-1866

Born 1809 in Deutschfeistritz (Styria).

1828-1830 Studies at the polytechnic institute in Vienna; followed by the administration of the Schwarzenbergischen Hammerwerke (hammer mill) in Katsch (Styria).

1835 Promotion to professorship for mining and metallurgy at the Joanneum in Graz; not yet teaching, but intense preliminaries, e.g.:

1835 – 1838 Three study trips to important mining and metallurgical plants in Western-, Northern- and Central Europe.

1840 Grand opening of the Styrian-corporative montanistic academy – montanistic academy (Steiermaerkisch-staendische montanistische Lehranstalt – Montan-Lehranstalt) in Vordernberg with Tunner as their sole professor.

1849 Promotion to director of the montanistic academy (Montan-Lehranstalt) in Leoben, Tunner exclusively applies to ferrous metallurgy (since 1849 A. Miller R. v. Hauenfels professor for mining sciences and Franz R. v. Sprung professor for metallurgy).

1864 Ennoblement: Ritter von Tunner. (Knight of Tunner)

1866 Retirement from metallurgy lectures, however still director of the mining academy in Leoben.

1874 Transfer to permanent retirement; close contact to iron industry in foreign countries (Sweden, Russia, United States of America) stay upright as well.

Died 1897 in Leoben.

Field of activity

1838 Directly after the last study trip implementation of wind heating at the furnace in Turrach through Turner – “initial spark” for many Austrian smelter works. Characterization of the likewise important rail rolling for Austria in Western Europe.

1841 First main excursion of the montanistic academy (Montan-Lehranstalt) of Vordernberg as a basis of practical-academic qualification.

1846, 1859 Narrow description of the purification process including all its variations.

since 1856 Engagement with the Bessemer process; 1863-1866 commissioning of multiple Bessemer steelworks in Austria under Tunners administration; elementary publications. Works about blister steel -, annealing-, crucible steel- and Siemens-Martin process.

1880 „Commissions-Bericht über den derzeitigen Stand der Entphosphorung des Eisens im Bessemer-Konverter nach Thomas-Gilchrist’s patentiertem Verfahren„ (with F. Kupelwieser and A. Krautner) (Commissions report about the present state of dephosphorization of iron in the Bessemer converter after the patented Thomas-Gilchrist procedure)

1858-1877 Extensive travel reports of metallurgy in Sweden (1858), in Russia (1871 and 1872) and the United States of America (1877). Publisher: „Jahrbuch für den innerösterreichischen Berg- und Hüttenmann„ (Vordernberg 1841-1847) as originator of the „Berg- und Hüttenmännischen Jahrbuches„ (1851; since 1938 „Berg- und Hüttenmännische Monatshefte„). Various awards, orders, honorary memberships etc.