text: Crystal growth of β-BiI was achieved through a solid-state reaction between Bi and HgI in a ratio of 1:2. The mixture of solid-state precursors was sealed under dynamic vacuum in a quartz ampoule and subjected to a temperature gradient of 250°C - 210°C in a two-zone furnace for 20 days. Needle-like blue crystals were obtained with sizes varying from a couple of mm in length and tenths of mm in diameter.