User blog comment:WarrenWitch/Dust is not magic/@comment-10390252-20130721195223

Clarke's (third?) Law applies here - sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Dust-use is actuallly technology, using energy gathered from this mineral and channeled through refined forms of the same (or similar) minerals to get various effects. It is 'magic' in that it has a degree of flexibility and intuitative use that you just don't get in Earth technology.

I've said this before but I think that RWBY 'magic' is fairly close to the crystal-based technology in the short-lived sci-fi western animation 'Storm Hawks'. In that, too, specifically refined and faceted crystals had differing functions and power levels, enabling such things as anti-gravity, energy weapons and teleportation. It wasn't 'mystical', but particularly skilled crystal craftspersons could use different crystals mounted in specialised staff-like tools to demonstrate powers that made them indistinguishable from fantasy mages. You even had some researchers on both sides of the struggle re-forging, re-faceting and merging crystals to create new effects similar to fantasy spell research.

I suspect that we'll find that Weiss is something like one of those researchers, playing with her family's products to create new and intersting 'spells' (types of Dust with new effects). Crimson may eventually turn out to be her opposite number in the Dark legions and become her arch-foe (Snow White vs. Rose Red?).