the real solution to the "is x mod tech/magic" debate is that tech and magic are both wholly aesthetic terms, commonly but incorrectly applied to design philosophies that deserve their own terminology.
a lot of people say "tech mod" and mean automation mod, a mod designed around systems which allow you to do formerly player-managed operations automatically, often in exchange for some unit of "energy" (yes, ic2, thermal, mek, but also botania, create, and even some parts of ars nouveau and blood magic)
similarly, people say "magic mod" and really mean what ill call an "ability mod', which is a mod focused around either enhancing the players ability to do things (mine, kill mobs), or allowing the player to do more things. (the other half of ars nouveau, irons spells, electroblob, but also cyberware, psi, etc)
the distinction is specifically in passive production. while many "ability mods" have features which can sometimes be used to assist with what passes for a "farm" in vanilla, they absolutely do not lend themselves to it. almost every feature or boon of an "ability mod" will require activation, whether with an item, a keybind, wearing an armor set, or etc. "automation mods" on the other hand, can range from being clearly designed to be eventually done automatically, to being unreasonably difficult or even wholly impossible to do entirely manually.
keep in mind this is a spectrum. no significantly complex mod is entirely one or the other. automation mods usually come with a suit of OP armor or a laser gun or something, and many ability mods can be frequently found with limited automation features. what its about, is which one is the goal. generally its not hard to tell which one of these two a mod is more concerned with.
an easier way to think about this is that automation mods serve to empower your *base*, whereas ability mods serve to empower *you, the player*
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