Abstract: This paper briefly discusses present bolt support design theories and its application status. Main reasons are pointed out and excavation types must be considered when the support design theories are used to determine bolt parameters. Then openings are classified into three groups and the characteristics and rules of support design for each group are indicated. Considering features of the openings which belong to third group, the engineering analogue and empirical method are used in mines. So a neural net design system for bolt support design is developed and applied to district No.2 of Jinchuan nickel mine.